Around 15 fans of Beerschot football club were stung by a swarm of Asian hornets at the start of their match against RSCA Futures in Deinze on Friday evening, with five requiring hospital care, according to Deinze-Zulte-Lievegem police.
The RSCA Futures, Anderlecht’s reserve team, play their home matches at the Dakota Arena in Deinze. Friday’s game in the Belgian second division drew around 500 Beerschot supporters.
Near the stadium, an old wooden shed containing a hornet’s nest was discovered, explained police commissioner Vincent Himpe. “Fifteen Beerschot supporters were stung one or more times during the game’s opening moments. No-one suffered life-threatening injuries.”
Most of those stung were treated on-site by Red Cross personnel and continued watching the match in a different stand. However, five fans opted to visit Deinze hospital for further medical care before either returning home or rejoining the game.
Police have cordoned off the area containing the nest and stated that the Deinze fire brigade will destroy it on Monday. Despite the incident, the match went on as planned and ended in a victory for Beerschot.
