CONTINUED VIOLENCE: INVOKE ARTICLE 38

Here we go again.

We are again forced to waste ink on appealing for sanity to prevail at stadia. Events of the past weekend in Nhlangano, where some players and officials attempted to rearrange each other’s faces, are a constant reminder that violence is still prevalent in the Premier League. In action on the day were hosts Nsingizini Hotspurs and visiting Mbabane Swallows and the game ended in 1-all draw. From headbutts to hooks and upper cuts, a very disturbing picture of Eswatini football was painted on the day.

control

With the King Sobhuza II Memorial Stadium an open ground, the situation would have completely spiralled out of control if the fans joined in. However, an open ground can never be an excuse for engaging in wayward behaviour. Disorder and violence at football matches are well-recognised issues that have attracted considerable attention in the media as well as among policymakers and practitioners. In an effort to prevent and respond to the phenomenon, numerous strategies and interventions have been implemented by relevant stakeholder groups, including police and other security professionals, football clubs and associations, fan organisations and local and national governments.

violent

Football is widely regarded as the most popular spectator and participation sport in the world but numerous examples of violent conduct have been recorded. Football authorities have introduced a raft of laws, regulations, policies and strategies to control and prevent football violence at all levels of the game. This process involves the progressive consolidation and expansion of judicial powers, stadium security measures, policing tactics and special investigative techniques in the fight against football hooliganism in the field of play. Some of these cases have also involved spectators.

hooliganism

Football hooliganism, defined as episodes of crowd trouble inside and outside football stadiums on match days, is commonly perceived to have adverse effects on the sport. The costs of football violence are multifaceted. The effects of football violence on expenditure on security are well documented. In addition to longer-term investments in stadium infrastructure (for instance, video surveillance), a key area of contention is the operational costs related to the deployment of police, security and stewards. Violence creates an unwanted football image to current and potential sponsors. The sport has always been an advertising vehicle of choice for major consumer brands. Companies have committed millions of Emalangeni to soccer sponsorships and millions more in related programmes to leverage those sponsorships. Football violence can further impact on a club’s potential for generating revenue from match attendances. It is disturbing to note that the same teams are always found wanting when it comes to violence. Playing in empty stadiums seems to have done little in curbing violence.

hurts

It is time to take decisive action to ensure that the offenders, especially teams, are hit where it hurts most. This calls for Article 38.6 of the 2023/24 Premier League of Eswatini Rules and Regulations to be invoked for repeat offenders. “The DC (Disciplinary Committee) shall double the fine, if a club appears for a second time on similar charges of violence and use of foreign substances and is found guilty. Further to that, a club shall lose three points and three goals from their accumulated number of points,” reads Article 38.6 in part. The league is about to reach boiling point and tempers are likely to flare. Points deduction can go a long in driving the message home and would-be offenders can think twice before resorting to violence.

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