Ruling honors slain fan

The Disciplinary Committee of the Swedish FA have decided not to replay match. 

  • Soret Ladiku, right, celebrates after scoring the opening goal in Helsingborg's 4-2 win over BK Häcken April 13 at Olimpia Stadium. Lennart Månsson/Bildbyrån
  • In a near-unanimous decision, the Disciplinnämnden (Disciplinary Committee) of Svensk Fotboll, decided not to replay the Opening Day match between Helsingborg and Djurgården. Instead, it ruled on April 14 the result, a 1-1 draw after 41 minutes, should stand.
    Djurgården fans stormed the pitch in the 41st minute, forcing officials to abandon the match. The pitch invasion followed the death of 43-year-old Stefan Isaksson, who was beaten to death by HIF fans during a pre-match riot outside of the stadium.
    “It is a good judgment. I am proud, Swedish football has taken a very wise decision,” said Durgården sports director Bo Andersson.
    The decision is something of a violation of the contract between the FA and the players’ association. According to the union's competition rules, when a match is interrupted the non-offending team should get a 3-0 forfeit win. However, the Disciplinary Committee can overrule that rule in exceptional circumstances. John Sterner led the Disciplinary Committee meeting. He said the decision did not require any long discussions
    “It was a pretty easy decision. The Board was quite early at a consensus,” Sterner said “A life has been wasted. If we were to play on the game, we have a security risk, but it would also seem paltry in relation to what has happened, both in relation to the deceased's family and Djurgården supporters.”
    The decision means Djurgården gets one point instead of a 3-0 loss.
    “It was a wise decision. Frankly, goals and results are meaningless in this case. It was the saddest day of Swedish football,” Andersson said. “Rather than discuss further, we can now put it behind us and move on.”
    Helsingborgs sports director Jesper Jansson did not want to comment on the decision, saying only he believes it will have consequences for Swedish football.
    “It was a very tragic event, both what happened before and what happened during the match,” Jansson said. “What we in Swedish football must consider is what impact it will have on the future.”
    Helsingborg has until April 28 to appeal the decision.
    Meanwhile in Round 3 action, Malmö continued its perfect start to the season as it got a goal from Markus Rosenberg to beat Gefle 1-0 at Swedbank Arena. Örebro, Åtvidaberg, Djurgården and Kalmar also remain unbeaten.

  • Örebro goalkeeper Oscar Jansson punches away a shot while under pressure from AIK forwards Alexander Milosevic and Eero Markkanen April 13 at Friends Arena. Andreas L Eriksson/Bildbyrån
  • Helsingborg 4, Häcken 2
    HELSINGBORG – Four different players scored to lead Helsingborg to its first win of the season, a 4-2 drubbing of Häcken April 13 at Olimpia Stadium. Loret Sadiku gave HIF the lead after seven minutes. Mostapha El Kabir and Martin Eriksson struck to give BKH a 2-1 lead. The goal was El Kabir’s third of the season. After Leonard Zuta received a red card for a nasty foul in the 22nd minute, Helsingborg took over the match. Arnor Smarasson tied the match in the 55th minute. David Accam put HIF in front in the 78th minute and Elias Andersson rounded out the scoring when he tallied two minutes into stoppage time.

  • Halmstad midfielder Kristinn Steindorsson races Norrköping midfielder Alexander Fransson for a loose ball during their scoreless draw April 13 at Örjans vall. Petter Arvidsson/Bildbyrån
  • Djurgården 2, Mjällby 0
    SÖLVESBORG – Djurgården picked up its second win of the season, beating Mjallby 2-0 April 11 at Strandvallen. Amadou Jawo broke open a scoreless deadlock when he scored in the 55th minute. Erton Fejzullahu doubled the lead 13 minutes later.

  • Elfsborg goalkeeper Kevin Stuhr-Ellegaard knocks a away a shot from Kalmar striker Melker Hallberg during their 0-0 draw April 14 at Guldfågeln Arena. Karl Nilsson/Bildbyrån
  • Åtvidaberg 2, Falkenberg 0
    ÅTVIDABERG – A pair of late goals gave Atvidaberg a 2-0 win over Falkenberg April 12 at Kopparvallen. John Owoeri put Åtvidaberg in front in the 85th minute. Imad Zatara sealed the win when he struck at the stroke of full time.

  • Malmö 1, Gefle 0
    MALMÖ – Markus Rosenberg scored the only goal of the game to lead Malmö to a 1-0 win April 12 over Gefle at Swedbank Arena. Rosenberg scored in the 68th minute. It was his second goal of the season. The victory extended Malmö’s season-opening winning streak to three.

  • AIK 1, Örebro 1
    SOLNA – Shpetim Hasani scored with eights minutes left in regulation to give Örebro a 1-1 draw with AIK April 13 at Friends Arena. Eero Makkanen put AIK in front after six minutes. Hasani tied the match in the 82nd minute with this third goal of the season.

  • Brommapojkarna 1, IFK Göteborg 1
    VÄLLINGBY - Brommapojkarna picked up its first points of the season thanks a 1-1 draw with IFK Goteborg April 13 at Grimsta IP. Robin Söder put Göteborg in front after 13 minutes. Pontus Segerström tied the game in the 78th minute.

  • Kalmar 0, Elfsborg 0
    KALMAR – Elfsborg once more failed to win at Guldfågeln Arena as it settled for a scoreless draw April 14 with Kalmar. Elfsborg has yet to win a match at Guldfågeln.

  • Halmstad 0, IFK Norrköping 0
    HALMSTAD – Norrköping and Halmstad split the points April 14 after they played to a scoreless draw at Orjans vall.

  • Round 1
    Helsingborg 1, Djurgården 1
    HELSINGBORG – The Swedish FA Disciplinary Committee decided on April 14 that the abandoned match between Helsingborg and Djurgården would stand as a 1-1 draw. Officials abandoned the match in the 41st minute after Djurgården fans stormed the field following the death of a DIF supporter in a pre-game riot. David Accam had the goal for Helsingborg while Aleksandar Prijovic scored for Djurgården.