Another fan was injured yesterday (April 29) and this time the pictures are even more disturbing because it was a child, only 8 years old, who was injured by a flare fired from the eastern stands towards the western stands, where he was sitting. Once again we have heard and will hear the same sentences time and time again – and again no one imagines that a fundamental change will occur.
Pay attention to the similar events that have occurred in recent seasons: In the 20th round of the season, everyone remembers the game that exploded between Maccabi Haifa and Maccabi Tel Aviv. In the 5th round of the 2023-24 season, in the match between Beitar Jerusalem and Hapoel Tel Aviv, a flare was fired at Hapoel Tel Aviv fans, and in the 17th round, at the beginning of the Tel Aviv derby, a flare was fired from the Maccabi Tel Aviv stands and almost hit the team’s player – Lucassen. And if that’s not enough, in the 2022-23 season, three additional incidents occurred: in the match between Maccabi Tel Aviv and Beitar Jerusalem, a flare was fired from the Maccabi Tel Aviv stands in a direct line towards Beitar Jerusalem fans; in the match between Beitar Jerusalem and Bnei Sakhnin, Beitar fans fired a flare at Sakhnin fans, and a fan was injured in the fire and required medical treatment; and in the 34th round, in the match between Maccabi Haifa and Maccabi Tel Aviv, several flares were fired from the Maccabi Haifa stands towards Maccabi Tel Aviv fans, when thanks to the nets placed in the stadium, the attempted hit was unsuccessful. And what has been done to prevent the next incident since then? Almost nothing.
The failure to deal with pyrotechnics is blatant and it endangers lives. It is also a systemic failure, because the war on pyrotechnics is a war on windmills. Instead of striving for regulation, providing responsibility to the fans and for their safety while preserving the game experience, the only discourse on the table is punishment.
Yesterday’s incident will once again serve as fuel for accusations against the fans, and once again those who will pay the price are the vast majority of the fans, who just want to celebrate with their team. In such cases, it is worth paying attention to the number of arrest notices issued by the police before big games, in connection with the result on the pitch. Why aren’t pyrotechnics confiscated a few days in advance? When resources are not invested in enforcing the law on the pitches, it is no wonder that a handful of violent people, some of them racist, do whatever they want. ‘Kick It Out’ has already called for thorough internal investigations against those criminal organizations many times, but what has been done in practice? Again – almost nothing. And what remains for the fans? The modest hope of enjoyment and especially the desire to return home safely.
In a deeper sense, it must be stated clearly: Those who have nothing to lose do whatever they want. This is part of the problem. When the relationship between sports institutions and the audience is based on “what do these fans know” and “if they behave badly, we will punish them,” we will continue to see the same sights. The way to reduce incidents of violence and racism on the fields is to make the fans an integral part of the decision-making.
It would be good if during the upcoming break all relevant bodies, together with the fan organizations, would come together and promote the rights of fans as the number one key to managing the games in Israel. The results will come quickly.
It is time to stop managing the stands as if they were a security risk. We must work together to create a culture of sympathy that soccer fans in Israel deserve.
