Omani police on Wednesday said they were investigating after an officer was filmed apparently slapping a football fan after he ran on to the pitch during a game.
The incident unfolded live on TV as Al Seeb and Al Riffa met on Tuesday night in an Asian Football Confederation match.
Footage showed the officer appearing to grab the fan by his T-shirt and striking him in the face after the pitch invader had been seized by stadium security staff. Security escorted the man outside the stadium.
Mixed views of the incident were expressed on social media:
“The slap on the face in front of the camera is an insult … it wasn’t necessary as the fan was controlled already by three people,” Saif Al Nofli said in a tweet.
Another social media user, Sulaiman Al Kiyomi, said it was up to police to ensure that fans were controlled properly.
“What the officer did was right and they should be strict in such gatherings to protect people’s lives. Thanks, Oman Royal Police.”
