A referee attacked and hit a sports journalist on the head twice with a stick at Juba Football Stadium on Friday in answer to a critical review of his work.
Referee James Alier Michael Ð who is also a First Lieutenant in the army Ð beat up journalist Maker Wien Buk of Tisa Yuliyo Newspaper for an opinion piece published by Majdi Suleman in the daily Arabic newspaper Al Masier.Mr Wien told CRN on Saturday that Mr Alier attacked him from behind when he and his colleague Majdi were leaving the stand after the second division match between Sun and Juba Atlanti.
He said the referee came from behind and hit him on the head and when he turned to see what was going on, he received a blow on his face.
Mr Wien added that the referee tried to smash a chair on him after the stick broke.
He said Majdi restrained the referee.
Mr Wien said he received first aid from the doctors and remained to watch the second game of the evening.
He added that referee Alier went home and came back in his military garb with a gun to threaten him but people at the stadium intervened.
Mr Wien explained that he took the necessary legal procedures and will open a court case against Mr Alier on Monday.
Al Masier’s sports journalist Majdi Suleman, the author of the opinion piece that enraged referee Alier, said he was not happy with what happened to his colleague Wien.
He said he considered the attack a violation of the rights of expression and of free press in South Sudan.
James Alier Michael is one of the two referees nominated by South Sudan Football Association to be appointed as International FIFA Referee to represent the country in international competitions.