In an extraordinary and poignant gesture, a terminally ill supporter will be the only fan present when AFC Ajax completes its abandoned Eredivisie fixture against FC Groningen on Tuesday afternoon. The match, originally scheduled for Sunday, was called off after just five minutes due to dangerous pyrotechnic use by sections of the crowd.
A Final Wish Fulfilled Amid Disappointment
The fan, identified as Peter, is currently residing in a hospice. Through the charity WensenAmbulance Noord-Holland, which helps fulfil final wishes for the seriously ill, he expressed a desire to attend one last Ajax match. Arrangements were made for him to attend Sunday's game, accompanied by his adult son and a charity staff member named André.
"When we arrived at the stadium, we were given excellent guidance by the stewards," André told RTL News. "We got a great spot behind the goal. Peter was very disappointed [by the abandonment]. This is, of course, incredibly frustrating." The match was halted almost immediately after kick-off due to a massive fireworks display from the stands, dashing Peter's hopes.
Community Appeal Leads to Special Exception
Following the abandonment, social media appeals highlighted Peter's situation and urged the club to allow him to attend the rescheduled game. Ajax, while stating the Tuesday match would officially be played behind closed doors as a consequence, made a special exception for Peter.
André explained Peter's deep connection to the sport: "Peter has played football all his life, has also been a referee, and follows Ajax closely. Football is his whole life, so [the hospice] wanted to let him go to one last match." The charity has confirmed that Peter will now be permitted to watch from the stands at the Johan Cruijff ArenA in Amsterdam.
Investigation and Aftermath of the Abandonment
The original game's disruption on Sunday prompted a strong reaction from Ajax. The club issued a statement to "emphatically distance ourselves from this misconduct" and labelled the fan behaviour "utterly outrageous." It is believed the fireworks were set off by supporters commemorating a deceased fan.
The Dutch football association (KNVB) will conduct a full investigation into the events that led to the match being stopped. An attempt to restart the game after a 40-minute delay on Sunday was also thwarted by further fireworks being thrown onto the pitch.
The replayed match will see sixth-placed Ajax host seventh-placed Groningen, with one very special supporter in attendance, ensuring a deeply personal final wish is honoured despite the earlier controversy.
