Horrific scenes in which fans battered a policeman with burning flares and seats ripped out at a Serbian first division match earlier this month provided a graphic reminder of spiralling soccer violence in the Balkans.
The riot at Red Star Belgrade’s home match with Hajduk Kula happened only four months after their city rivals Partizan were kicked out of this season’s UEFA Cup after their fans started trouble at Bosnian rivals Zrinjski Mostar.
Fights between rival fans are also common in neighbouring Croatia, where the supporters of traditional foes Dinamo Zagreb and Hajduk Split clashed with each other last year, the day Croatia beat England 2-0 at home in their Euro 2008 qualifying campaign.
The Belgrade mayhem, which resulted in the arrest of one offender, three Red Star officials and the match delegate, led to Red Star being fined and ordered to play three home matches behind closed doors.
Partizan’s expulsion from the UEFA Cup and the crackdown on Red Star might just be enough to force the clubs to take a tougher stance on hooliganism, one that is long overdue.
The Serb government is now also involved in trying to tackle the issue but some of my colleagues and many fans in the region have been suggesting the need for farther-reaching international repercussions.
The question is, should clubs and national teams face the threat of expulsion from international competition for violence in their domestic leagues? Should UEFA be acting in that direction if they deem local soccer governing bodies are not doing enough?
Those in favour argue that teams in this part of Europe have so far been allowed to get away with “slaps on the wrist” for serious wrongdoings by their fans.
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3 comments so far
It is important for UEFA to banned the club, association and national teams. To teach “moral obligation” about football without violence. Anything what goes well for the club, (manytimes) brought good things for the national squad, and vice versa….
- Posted by Andy GultomUnfortunately scenes like those witnessed in Belgrade two weeks ago ill continue to happen even if UEFA intervene. If the violence occurs outside he ground and away from the immediate area, UEFA really do not have a case against a club, merely their fans, however if the attacks happen nearer the ground and around the stadium fr example, the clubs should definitely at least be fined.
- Posted by Free Bet ManMu view on this manner is simple, if this happens, a straight fine of £50,000 to the club and one home European game played behind closed doors, if it happens again double both parts of the penalty i.e. £100,000 fine and two games behind closed doors, etc. etc.
If you look at the big picture - Italy and other places where this is going on, I think it says the time for half-measures is over. The bottom line is that the authorities in each country must do what Britain did after Heysel, a complete and relentless crackdown on hooliganism. There is no excuse for driving away decent fans from the game by not doing enough to stop this.
- Posted by Red Devil