Fighting soccer hooliganism<\/p>\n
We do not doubt that the State Minister for Youth Affairs and
\nSports, Hayono Isman, meant well when he urged that soccer
\nhooligans be punished with severe penalties -- even by using the
\nanti-subversion law if necessary. And given the growing brutality
\nof those hooligans, perhaps there are quite a number of us who
\nmight tend to agree with the minister.<\/p>\n
The phenomenon of soccer hooliganism is of course not new.
\nHooliganism among soccer fans took its heaviest toll more than 10
\nyears ago, when more than 30 fans died -- most of them Italian --
\nin what has since been known as the Heysel Stadium tragedy in
\nBelgium.<\/p>\n
That was in 1983, when Italy's Juventus team met Liverpool of
\nEngland in a European championship match. As a result of the
\nincident England was banned from playing on the continent for
\nseveral years. The public outcry and the harsh punishment led the
\nEnglish government to use stricter measures to eliminate such
\nunruly behavior among soccer fans, and as a result fewer soccer
\nincidents were recorded in the following years.<\/p>\n
Considering that background, it is of course sad to see that,
\nof late, such bad manners among fans seems to have overshadowed
\nalmost all major soccer matches in this country. The brawling
\namong supporters at matches of the new Indonesian League climaxed
\nin tragedy two weeks ago, when a Persebaya (Surabaya) supporter,
\nSuhermansyah, was trampled to death during a riot after a match
\nagainst host PSIM at the Mandala Krida stadium in Yogyakarta. It
\nwas the third such riot within a year at that stadium.<\/p>\n
Correctly, Minister Hayono Isman was quick to condemn the
\nincident and suggest that the three-month-old league competition
\nbe halted. He was also reported to have suggested that the
\ncountry's anti-subversion law, which is normally used only in the
\ngravest cases threatening the nation's stability, be applied
\nagainst soccer hooligans.<\/p>\n
To this, the national soccer governing body, PSSI, through its
\nsecretary, retorted that it already has a book of rules that
\ncould restrain soccer hooligans.<\/p>\n
An adviser to the regional branch of the Indonesian Soccer
\nAssociation (PSSI) was also against the minister's idea, arguing
\nthat to use the anti-subversion law to check soccer hooliganism
\nwould be like acting like a father who punishes his children
\nseverely for any wrongdoing.<\/p>\n
In comparison: The Italian government decided not to allow the
\nItalian national league to organize competitions for the duration
\nof one day -- Sunday Feb. 5 -- following the fatal stabbing of an
\nItalian soccer fan before the Sunday league match between
\nEuropean champion AC Milan and Genoa. Genoa fan Vincenzo
\nSpagnolo, 24, was mortally wounded before the start of Sunday's
\ngame when he was set upon and stabbed outside the northwestern
\ncity's soccer stadium.<\/p>\n
But while the Italian government was strict in its decision
\nand was backed by the national league administrators, our sports
\nminister's threat to halt the league's competitions received
\nmixed reactions. In certain cases, in this country as well as
\nelsewhere, bad refereeing has been the main cause of the trouble.
\nAt the same time it should be remembered that whatever one may
\nthink of the incidents, soccer matches, like the games played in
\nmany other sports, are indeed places to express one's emotions.
\nUnder such circumstances individuals often behave in ways they
\nwould never display in their daily lives.<\/p>\n
One not less important point one could make is whether
\nthreatening soccer hooligans with the anti-subversion law will
\nhave the desired impact. After all, even the death penalty has
\nnot wiped out crime. Of course we are grateful that the
\nauthorities seem to be taking soccer hooliganism seriously. At
\nthe same time, however, it seems to us that all too often we tend
\nto be tempted to seek an easy way out of problems without giving
\nserious consideration to the question of appropriateness or
\nproportion.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/fighting-soccer-hooliganism-1447893297",
"image": ""
},
"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}