Belgian league game stopped after referee hit by cup from the crowd
LIEGE, Belgium (AP) — A Belgian Pro League match between Standard de Liège and Royal Antwerp was stopped after the referee was struck by a cup thrown from the stands.
Standard led 1-0 in the 88th minute when referee Lothar D’hondt was hit by the cup on Friday and decided to send the players back to the locker rooms.
The league said in a statement on Saturday that the last three minutes of the game will be completed on Monday with no fans allowed.
Standard said it identified the man who threw the cup and it would start stadium ban proceedings against him, as well as an action for compensation. Under league rules, Standard will be fined 50,000 euros.
Since the 2023–24 season, any Belgian league match halted by referees should resume behind closed doors, starting from the minute of the stoppage and with the score as it stood. The rule was introduced to prevent spectators from influencing the outcome of games, the league said.
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