In a poignant gesture, a terminally ill supporter will be the only person in the stands when Ajax completes a previously abandoned league fixture against Groningen on Tuesday.
The match, originally played on Sunday, was halted just minutes after kickoff due to a massive, unauthorized pyrotechnic display by a section of the home supporters. After a failed attempt to restart the game, the decision was made to finish the remaining minutes behind closed doors the following afternoon.
However, an exception has been made for a fan named Peter, who is currently in hospice care. Peter, a lifelong football enthusiast and former referee, had expressed a final wish to see his beloved Ajax play one more time. He was in attendance for the initial match, only to see it called off.
“Football has been his entire life,” said André, a representative from a charity that assists seriously ill individuals with fulfilling final wishes, who accompanied Peter to the stadium. “Naturally, he was deeply disappointed when the game was abandoned. It was a very frustrating situation.”
Following widespread appeals on social media highlighting Peter’s situation, the club agreed to allow him to attend the rescheduled conclusion of the match. He will watch from the Amsterdam Arena as sixth-placed Ajax faces seventh-placed Groningen.
The incident that caused the initial abandonment has been condemned by the club, which labeled the supporters’ actions as “utterly outrageous.” Reports suggest the pyro display was intended as a tribute to a deceased fan. League officials have announced an investigation into the events.