For the Love of the Game: A Look at Hooliganism
It is the fifth of May, 2000 in Belfast, Northern Ireland. The Glasgow Rangers have just defeated the Glasgow Celtics in the Scottish Cup Final in European Football. As thousands of people clear out of the arena, a riot breaks out between the mostly Protestant Ranger fans and the Catholic supported Celtics fans. This violent riot ends with twenty-eight police officers and approximately fifty civilians injured (“Belfast”). The idea that something as enjoyable as viewing a football game could turn into this terrifying event has many concerned parents refusing to let their children attend these games. Football hooliganism is common at the games in Europe; this incident is one that is more recent, but not the most violent example. Hooliganism is a complex problem that can only be solved by an equally complex solution. In order to solve this, one has to look at the contributing factors. Gang involvement, family upbringing, and competitiveness are three major factors that contribute to violence in the stands.Firstly, it is a well known fact that most hooligans belong to a football gang. Much like cults, these gangs . . .
The results are often catastrophic with dozens upon dozens injured and a few even killed. In a gang, newcomers are constantly surrounded by violence and hooliganism and it is not long before they become violent and hooligans themselves. Often a riot starts out as a minor disagreement between two opposing fans and other factors make the argument escalate. Football gangs are very attractive to the unsuspecting fan because they provide them with a sense of security and confidence. Headhunters attend the pre-season games looking for fans of their team sitting alone. They realize that he/she is passionate about both the team and the sport, and have good potential of being influenced. Hooliganism can cut down and almost eliminated if we closely regulate football gangs, cut down on family encouragement and change society’s overly competitive attitudes. In Europe, people who are indiscreetly cheering for a certain team (wearing team colours, face painted, flags, etc. The new gang members feel invincible because they know that they can start fights and will have people to back them up. These children grow up wishing to prove to their parents how dedicated they are to the football team and how far they are willing to go for the team. Hooliganism is a product of nurturing, and results from influences by primary and secondary social groups. ) are seen as sitting ducks for gang headhunters. Furthermore, almost ninety nine percent of high school students surveyed in Cambridge, Ontario agree that sports violence is a problem that needs a solution. Contradictory though, on this same survey, almost seventy one percent agreed that athlete violence is “all part of the excitement of attending a sporting event” (Pareta “Classroom”).
Common topics in this essay:
Protestant Ranger, Pareta Classroom, Cambridge Ontario, European Football, Glasgow Rangers, , sports violence, gang headhunters, football gangs, opposing fans, fans team, hooligans themselves, |
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