Who's Been A Naughty Boyd
Thursday, 2nd Aug 2001 00:00

Who's Been A Naughty Boyd Then?

Jamaican players were inflamed by a referee's decision to eject Sean Frazer, a dispute that led to players and technical director Clovis de Oliviera approaching the referee. A fracas ensued during which assistant referee Anthony Bergan was punched in the face by a Jamaican player, allegedly Boyd, and Boyd was hit in the face by the stick of Bergan.

Bergan received five stitches to his face. Boyd got two. The Jamaicans deny Boyd punched Bergan, saying Boyd was trying to play peacemaker with his teammates when Bergen's flag hit him. Bergan has filed an assault charges against the former Swansea player at the police headquarters in Basseterre, according to reports. A spokeswoman for the St. Kitts/Nevis police would not confirm any filing of charges.

Follow-Up From Nick Rees

AN assistant referee who was struck in the face, allegedly by a Jamaican player during the hot-tempered, violence-marred 0-0 draw between Jamaica and St Kitts/Nevis in Basseterre on Monday night has reportedly pressed charges against striker Walter Boyd.

Assistant referee, Anthony Bergan, filed assault charges against Boyd on Tuesday morning at police headquarters in Basseterre, a well-placed eastern Caribbean source told the Observer late last night.

Efforts to confirm the report failed as a spokeswoman for the St Kitts/Nevis police insisted that information for release to the media could only come from the very top.

"Anything that involves newspaper, you have to talk to the commissioner or deputy commissioner of police. They are the ones responsible for giving out information," she said.

It was not clear last night whether Boyd was still in Basseterre or had left with the Jamaica team for a friendly international against Grenada later today.

The Jamaica team and management staff, including general secretary, Horace Reid, were travelling to Grenada for much of yesterday and could not be reached.

Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) president, Captain Horace Burrell, was also on his way from Kingston to Grenada and was out of reach.

But the Observer learnt that the Jamaican delegation first heard of the charges against Boyd when they arrived at the Robert Bradshaw International airport for departure to Antigua en route to Grenada.

A source said that an inspector of police went to the airport to prevent the player from leaving the island. Boyd was actually scheduled to depart on a later flight which would have connected some members of the team to Grenada through San Juan, Puerto Rico.

The game between Jamaica and St Kitts/Nevis was marred by a violent clash after Sean Fraser was sent off in the 39th minute. The decision angered the Jamaican players and in an ensuing fracas Boyd was cut in the forehead after an assistant referee allegedly used his flag as a weapon.

Bergan was also hit in the face, allegedly by a Jamaican player.

The game was halted for 45 minutes as a result of the incident. When play resumed, Jamaica found themselves reduced to nine men, as left back Robert Scarlett was also red carded by referee Franklyn Dorset.

The 0-0 draw allowed St Kitts/Nevis to top that country's fourth annual football festival with four points ahead of Jamaica's two points from two draws and Martinique with one point.

The Jamaicans, without their overseas-based professionals, are visiting the eastern and southern Caribbean as part of preparations for the September 2 World Cup qualifying clash against Mexico at the National Stadium.