Match trouble sparks ban

The Dominican Republic banned Haiti's national football team from playing at its sports venues after crowd trouble at a CONCACAF Nations League match on Thursday night at the Felix Sanchez Olympic Stadium in Santo Domingo.

Fans forced entrances, damaged gate

Video posted on social media showed groups of fans forcing some entrances to the stadium, with one gate damaged during the incidents before the match.

Minister cites zero-tolerance policy

Sports Minister Kelvin Cruz said the damage to the Felix Sanchez Olympic Stadium, which cost millions and millions of pesos, was unacceptable and violated a zero-tolerance policy on indiscipline.

“What we saw yesterday with a gate at the Felix Sanchez, a sports facility that has cost millions and millions of pesos to make it shine, is unacceptable.”

President backs the ban decision

Dominican Republic President Luis Abinader backed the ban, saying the Sports Minister's position was the position of the Government.

“The position of the Sports Minister is the position of the Government.”

Haiti wins four one, disputes remarks

Haiti won the match four one, with Sunderland striker Wilson Isidor scoring twice. Haiti's embassy said the ban remarks did not reflect the Haitian government's position and that sporting rivalries must not undermine good neighbourliness between the two states.

“Sporting rivalries must not call into question relations of good neighborliness and mutual respect that must prevail between the two states.”

Isidor's remark triggers FIFA complaint

After the match, Sunderland striker Wilson Isidor was filmed saying Hispaniola is Haiti. Dominican Football Federation president Jose Deschamps called this a lack of respect for national sovereignty and said the federation would file a complaint with FIFA and CONCACAF.

“Hispaniola is Haiti.”