Pirates swallow suspended fine after porridge attack

JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) - South African club Orlando Pirates have received a suspended fine after one of their fans threw porridge at a referee, the country's Premier Soccer League said on Friday.

The Soweto club, among the front runners for the league title this season, were hit with a suspended 50,000 rand (4,426 pound) fine after pleading guilty to a charge of spectator misbehaviour and bringing the game into disrepute.

A supporter hurled a handful of stodgy porridge, which South Africans commonly eat with most meals, at the referee at the end of a comfortable away win for the Pirates in Durban in January.

In October last year, arch rivals Kaizer Chiefs were handed a suspended 500,000 rand fine after angry fans threw two plastic vuvuzelas and a cabbage on to the pitch during a cup tie to protest about refereeing decisions.

The throwing of missiles by frustrated fans was a major problem in South African soccer for some time but has almost disappeared in recent years.

(Reporting by Mark Gleeson in Cape Town; Editing by Martyn Herman)