Last football season, 218 football fans were injured by fireworks incidents in a football stadium. That’s over 50 percent more than the previous season, when there were 143. “Fireworks are banned in stadiums, and yet the number of injuries is only increasing. Going to football should be safe and fun, always and for everyone. Self-proclaimed ‘supporters’ who spoil things for others and even endanger them have no place in the crowd,” says Green Party MP Matti Vandemaele, who requested the figures and urged the clubs to take action.
Despite the ban, fireworks incidents occur at more than half of football matches. Often, things go completely wrong. This is clearly evident in the figures provided by Vandemaele, who requested information about the trend in the number of injuries. “Going to a football match should be a celebration. Now there are a few who ruin the atmosphere for everyone. It’s time for the clubs to side with the true supporters and intervene,” said Vandemaele.
Groen
The Green MP urges clubs to take stricter action against those who bring violence into stadiums. “Supporters who repeatedly cause problems are known to the clubs. These hotheads should be banned from the stadium. Anyone who endangers the safety of other spectators or the players doesn’t belong in a stadium.”
Vandemaele points out that the Pro League also has a role to play in this: as an organization, it can hold clubs that don’t intervene much more quickly and firmly accountable, if necessary with sanctions. Vandemaele: “Hotheads get away with almost anything in a stadium these days. As a result, other supporters turn away because they fear for their own safety. It’s the aggressive ones who should stay away, not the supporters who behave normally and want to enjoy the match.”
Other incidents
Besides fireworks incidents, every ardent football fan has heard racist chants in the stadium at some point. Although there are plenty of testimonies of this and it unfortunately occurs regularly, no separate statistics are kept. “Violence, both physical and verbal, has no place in our stadiums. The fact that incidents of racism and discrimination are not even counted or recorded is a major problem in my opinion. Minister Quintin urgently needs to change this so that appropriate action can be taken in these cases as well.”
