PROFESSIONAL Football Jamaica Limited (PFJL) Chief Executive Officer Owen Hill says while rules for discipline are clear, the body accepts that improvement is needed to ensure a safer fan experience at Wray & Nephew Jamaica Premier League (JPL) games.

Fan safety and discipline became the major talking point after the second-leg, semi-final JPL match between Cavalier and Arnett Gardens at Sabina Park on Sunday night.

Spectators upset at the referee’s decision to award a penalty early in the first half threw debris — including glass alcohol bottles — onto the field, causing a brief delay to the game.

Moments before the game’s end, when Cavalier scored the last goal to make the score 3-1, more debris, including what appeared to be a bottle torch, was thrown onto the field.

Inspector Pauline Burke was in charge of overseeing the Jamaica Constabulary Force’s security team at Sabina Park. She declined comment but the Jamaica Observer understands that one supporter was arrested and charged at the Central Police Station nearby. Also, one officer was hit in the incident but is understood not to be seriously injured.

It is not yet known whether the club aligned to the supporters responsible will receive a sanction for failure to control its fans but Hill says due process will be carried out before any decision is made.

“There’s a review process that generally happens,” Hill told the Jamaica Observer. “There’s a disciplinary committee in place for all of that so you review the actual incident, determine the best plans of action — and those kinds of discussions happen in a systematic way.

“Not to say that Club A or Club B will be directly affected, because all the facts have to be presented and a decision will be deliberated on and provided thereafter. It’s very hard for us to say all of that now because due process is not completed but I’ll say let’s wait for due process.”

Hill says such meetings typically take up to 24 to 48 hours before a decision is made.

Sabina Park has been a controversial subject as it relates to local sports over the last year. The Government decided not to bid for games in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup this summer because of the $450-million cost to renovate the stadium to modern standards. This would also include updates to its security and gatekeeping facilities.

During the Lynk Cup final at the same venue almost a year ago, thieves broke into Cavalier’s dressing room during the game and stole their personal items. Questions were raised about who was to be held accountable for the security breach then, as they were on Sunday night.

“We take full accountability for the hosting of the games, and what we’re saying is: ‘There are areas for improvement,’ ” Hill said. “It’s a difficult space to manage, and the sociocultural factors that need to be considered, most people will not understand that. However, we try our best but it just means that we have to get tighter. In other venues we may not have those challenges but the rules are clear. The enforcement is there but we just have to be a little tighter in the enforcement.”

But Hill stands by Sabina Park as one of the best options for hosting these games.

“The venue is one of the better ones we’ve had,” he said. “We’ve helped to revive and put some injection of football in the space. It’s now becoming a cultural space for events so, in terms of my own feeling of it, we’re doing as best as we can and I think they have also facilitated as best as they can, given the nuisances that it’s primarily a cricket ground.”

Arnett Gardens Head Coach Xavier Gilbert has apologised on behalf of the club for the incident.

“I don’t condone that one bit,” he said during the post-game media scrum. “It’s unfortunate, and I must apologise on behalf of Arnett Gardens for that. I’m not saying Arnett Gardens fans threw the bottles but I’m just apologising for the entire incident. It doesn’t look good, and it is something that is pretty much worldwide, and I just want to appeal to the fans as much as possible to try to control our emotions. Sometimes the decisions don’t go your way [but] whether or not it is the right decision, we have to ensure that we control our emotions.”

Cavalier, who advanced 4-2 on aggregate, will now meet Mount Pleasant who won 2-1 on the night and 3-2 on aggregate over Waterhouse, in the super final on Sunday at the National Stadium at 6:30 pm. Arnett and Waterhouse play the third-place game at the same venue at 3:00 pm.