Dominican Republic prohibits Haiti from using its stadiums following fan clashes

The Dominican Republic has prohibited Haiti's national football team from playing at its sports venues due to crowd disturbances at a CONCACAF Nations League match. Sports Minister Kelvin Cruz announced the ban following incidents that occurred before the match on Thursday night at the Felix Sanchez Olympic Stadium in Santo Domingo. Video footage shared on social media depicted fans forcing their way through entrances, resulting in damage to a gate. Cruz stated, "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," emphasizing a zero-tolerance policy on indiscipline. Dominican Republic President Luis Abinader supported the decision, asserting that the Sports Minister's position reflects that of the government. Haiti's embassy in Santo Domingo responded, indicating that the remarks made during the match did not represent the Haitian government's stance and expressed gratitude towards Dominican authorities. The embassy stated, "Sporting rivalries must not call into question relations of good neighborliness and mutual respect that must prevail between the two states." Following the match, Haiti's football federation described the event as a "beautiful night for Haiti, beautiful night for the island we share," emphasizing respect off the field despite competition on it. Haiti secured a 4-1 victory, with Sunderland striker Wilson Isidor scoring twice, bringing Haiti's total points in Group A to nine, while the Dominican Republic stayed at six points. Haiti is scheduled to play against Costa Rica in San Jose on Sunday. Isidor was recorded stating, "Hispaniola is Haiti," referring to the Caribbean island shared by both nations, which have a history of disputes over migration and border security. Dominican Football Federation president Jose Deschamps criticized Isidor's comment as "a lack of respect for national sovereignty" and announced plans to file a complaint with FIFA and CONCACAF. Since October 2024, Abinader's government has intensified deportations of undocumented Haitians, pledging to deport up to 10,000 individuals weekly. Previous sports-related tensions between the two countries include a 2023 incident when Haiti's sports ministry halted national team matches in the Dominican Republic following a border closure over a dispute regarding a Haitian canal on the shared Massacre River.