▲ Klathan was hit in the head with a lighter in the match between Ajax and Feyenoord earlier this month.
Less than 20 days after the 'lighter throwing incident' in Dutch professional football, another match was stopped when a referee was hit by a beer cup.
The Eredivisie round of 30 match between Groningen and Nijmegen in Groningen, Netherlands, was suspended 18 minutes after it began, according to AFP news agency.
That's because in the 18th minute of the first half, a plastic cup of beer suddenly flew at the assistant referee who ruled a foul on a contest between players near the touchline.
As beer spilled down his back, the assistant referee checked the cup that had fallen on the floor and immediately ordered all players to leave, stopping the game.
The match is currently suspended indefinitely, and a rematch has not yet been scheduled.
According to the Dutch Football Association's new rules, if a match official such as a player or referee is hit by an object thrown by a spectator, the match must be stopped immediately.
Bauter Hüde Groningen general manager said: "It is unthinkable that an individual would do something like this. It's insane."
The association tightened the rules following the "bloodshed" between Feyenoord and Ajax in the quarter-finals of the Dutch Football Association Cup at the Feyenoord Stadium in Rotterdam on May 5.
At the time, there was a fierce battle of nerves on and off the pitch, with fans using flares and kick-off delayed by a few minutes.
A minute after Ajax midfielder Davy Klassen scored a 4-2 runaway goal, a tussle broke out between players six minutes into the second half.
As things escalated as players from both teams rushed toward the touchline, Klathan was suddenly hit by a lighter that flew from the stands, causing him to bleed from the head.
Shortly thereafter, the game was stopped for about 1 minutes, and a man in his 1s who threw a lighter was arrested by police at the scene.
Since then, criticism has poured in from inside and outside the Netherlands over its violent viewing culture.
At the time, Dutch Prime Minister Mark Ruether called it "intolerable" and said "an ugly situation has happened," and the daily Telegraaf also published an article on its front page, criticizing "how much longer does this have to happen."
FIFA president Infantino also took to social media to urge the Dutch Football Federation to take action, saying "no space is where violence is allowed, whether on or off the pitch."
(Photo=AFP, Yonhap News)