Football Hooliganism is a Moral Panic - Case Study Example

Reading Header: Football Hooliganism is a Moral Panic Fuelled by Media Amplification And Populist Misconception number: Lecturer: Course: Date: Introduction Football hooliganism is a term first propagated by the media in the 1960s to identify violent fans at football matches. This violence involves disorderly acts carried out by rival fans perpetuated either spontaneously or in prearranged fights between football gangs (Firms in England and Ultras in Italy) either at or just before or after a football match. Although football violence is as old as the game, modern media hype of potential volatile clashes between rival teams nevertheless tend to incite aberrant fans while creating unnecessary tension between the teams that explodes during match days and thereafter. Brimson (2000) in describing the media onslaught argued that, “the written word is the most powerful weapon known to man…In whatever form it comes, be it written or spoken, it has the power to form opinions, change perceptions and builds up or destroys individuals… If you harp on about something long enough and remain unchallenged, eventually people will begin to believe it. Football hooliganism is a case in point” (Brimson, p.179) Traditionally football hooliganism come to light in the 1960s, late 1970s, and the 1980s when it subdued after the horrific Heysel(1985) and Hillsborough(1989) disasters. In the Heysel Stadium, Brussels tragedy, 39 people died and over 400 were injured due to rioting in the Liverpool vs. Juventus European Cup final. There was however incidents of violence and crowd disorder at football matches even as early as the 19th century with pitch invasions a common occurrence. Modern football matches have not escaped the culture of fans violence but rather evolved with new technology whereby rival fans goad each other through internet forums and social forums to frenzy in anticipation of the violence on match day which is the highlight of the day rather than the football game. Incredibly the media from newspapers and to the electronic media have been foremost in fanning the furnace of contemporary football matches by harping on the negative aspects of the game (Poulton, 2001). According to Clark (2009), “By far the most contributing and important factor into the public’s view of football hooliganism is the media’s coverage of disruptions and matches” (Clark, 1). European tabloids especially in Britain and Germany tend to prefer sensationalist journalism ignoring the incitement they cause due to the inflammatory topics covered just to boost their circulation. During the European Championship tournament in Euro’ 1996, the two leading tabloids in England run provocative headlines with The Daily Mirror banner leading ‘Achtung Surrender’ while The Sun read ‘Let’s Blitz Fritz’ during the semi-final clash between England and Germany. Thus the media reflexively promote xenophobia while inciting passions of the diehard fans by incessantly highlighting negative aspects of opponent’s previous clashes prior to the forthcoming game. According to Pearson (2008), “this sensationalist style of reporting often relies on powerful headlines grounded in violent imagery and war metaphors whilst articles are regularly edited for impact” (Pearson, 1). He alleges that this type of reporting can be traced to the 1950s when juvenile delinquency and crime led to a moral panic among citizens that gave rise to newspapers reports on potential criminal acts. The resulting chaos at football matches result in knee-jerk reaction or decisions often influenced by the same tabloids that incited the clashes. According to Hall (1978), sensational media coverage of football hooliganism causes an ‘amplification spiral’ as outlined by Ingham et al, whereby a continued widespread coverage of a specific problem by the media aggravates the crisis further. He argues that a sustained media coverage cause’s panic among the society which hastily implements some inadequately planned harsh control procedures that only generates further confrontations with the football clubs and hooligans. In April 2005, the Italian government proclaimed a ‘zero tolerance’ policy against football hooligans but in subsequent games across the country fans rioted after a fan was apparently killed by police. Games in Rome, Palermo, Udine, Cava dei Tirreni and Perugia were violently disrupted as visiting teams battled police in retaliation at rail stations as they were escorted away from football stadiums. In 2007 a policeman was killed in Sicily and the national championship games were suspended for a week. The tabloid newspapers have inadvertently facilitated the amplification or aggravation of the problem while creating widespread panic on issues of football hooliganism which is contrary to the real problem actually been experienced. (Pearson, 2008) Rawling (2004) writing for the Guardian newspaper a more moderate tabloid dismissed the insinuation of the media being ‘hungry for crowd violence’ arguing that instances of England’s supporters depraved behaviour are common having ‘disgraced every European Championship tournament they have played in since 1980’ (The Guardian: 5 January 2004). This biased reporting before the Euro’2004 tournament in Portugal is typical of the media whipping up emotions of everybody against a team (England) that precipitate their reception in the host arena or country. The fact that there were no violent incidents during the previous World cup was ignored but fortunately the media’s expected bonus of gory images during the Portugal tourney were denied as the fans behaved amicably. Dr Clifford Stott of Liverpool University who had been hired during the Euro’ 2004 European Championship as a crowd control expert observed that, “The suggestion that England fans are the worst and that hooliganism is the English disease is a myth” (Rawling, 2). He argued that the police sometimes cause the problem due to their ambivalent behaviour giving an example of the Dutch police whose soft approach is effective when compared to the Italian police heavy-handiness that spell disaster to visiting fans lacking protection and inciting local fans to violence. (Rawling, 2004) Although most documented football hooliganism has been credited to English teams, football violence is however widespread all over the world especially in Europe and South America. The media hype surrounding the English teams has however reflexively put the spotlight on teams from England to an extent that football hooliganism is an ‘English Disease’. Clark (2009) conversely argues that most of the violence occurring when English teams visit other countries is due to attacks by rival fans. In April 2000, two Leeds United fans were stabbed to death in Istanbul Turkey during violent clashes between the two sets of fans. Similarly, within the same year, Arsenal and Galatasary fans clashed during the UEFA Cup final in Copenhagen. However visiting teams fans rarely get attacked in England during match days. This is in contrast to the widespread violence in Italy which led to cancellation of all professional football for a year after a police officer was killed during a Serie A match between Catana and Palermo. In Spain, Russia, and Central Europe racial abuse is common during football matches while in Argentina, Mexico, and Brazil, football stadiums have a virtue steel fence partitioning the playing pitch and demarcating rival fans positions within the arena due to perverted violence among fans and attacks on match officials. There have been many reasons advanced as to the causes of football hooliganism. This include individual psychological reasons, poor refereeing decisions, drugs and alcohol, the internet, poor ticketing procedures, players altitude, and the widespread adverse media hype surrounding titanic clashes. Most research has concluded that a typical football hooligan is a male aged between 18-27 years of age with a background of unsteady familial base. This unsteady family rearing is burdened with a low self esteem mainly due to exposure to brutality during the formative years hence less training on good behaviour. Other aspects include bullying and broken families which precipitates violent youths who are capable of destructive tendencies even in other aspects when interacting with society. Adang (1999) observed that “Hooligans often resemble other young men who have problems at school and in the family situation, particularly in connection to authority figure relationships (conflict with teachers etc.) while social control for the greater part is absent” (Adang, p. nd). Poor officiating has been variously cited as igniting explosive matches when one series of fans feels aggrieved by the seemingly bias by match officials and result to violent behaviour often disrupting matches. During the European Champions League UEFA Cup final between bitter Italian club rivals AC Milan and Inter Milan, the match was disrupted by fans who threw flares at the goalkeeper thereby leading to a game stoppage. The players’ altitude and comments in and out of the matches often inflame the tempers further due to their use of abusive language and hard tackling that inevitably permeates to the fans. In the two Milan clubs clash one player, Juan Sebastian Veron remarked “It isn’t right what the fans did but you can understand it” while decrying the referee’s decision in denying them an ‘obvious goal’ (Standish, 2006). Other factors like poor ticketing procedures that result in many fans denied entry into the stadiums often lead to fans engaging in vandalism and violence outside the stadium while fighting running battles with the police. Poor ticketing procedures also result in known thugs gaining entry into the stadiums due to weak screening of known criminals. Another insidious issue is the use of drugs and alcohol whereby many fans already excited by the upcoming game that the media has hyped up get inebriated prior or after the match hence are likely to engage in anti-social behaviour. Clark (2009) argues that this is inevitable “in an enclosed space with other males and alcohol, the risk of violence of disruption is always there, not just at football matches” (Clark, p.3). An NCIS study of arrests during matches in the 2000/2001 season deduced that 27 percent of all offences during football games in England and Wales were linked to alcohol. This report moreover serves to reinforce the stereo type of the typical English football fan as depicted in the Daily Mirror (June18th, 2000) during the Euro 2000 tournament as a “drunken, tattooed, crop-headed oaf who only follows the national team to have a fight and not support the team”. However this analysis has been faulted due to the contradiction of fans from Scotland, Ireland and Denmark who drink heavily but are largely peaceful during games while the Italian football fans are known to rarely indulge in drunkenness but are very violent during football games. Although there are many despicable aberrant elements amongst football fans, it is misleading to ascribe all football fans as hooligans due to the actions of a small number of drunken dysfunctional people. The media rapacious selective devouring of these negative aspects of fan behaviour is therefore deplorable particularly in the English press hence disparaging the reputation of the English fans. The media obsession with the dark side of football makes them as culpable to the violence as the hooligans themselves hence can be categorised together. Bryan Drew, Head of Strategic and Specialist Intelligence and NCIS said: “There’s a nasty, ugly, anti-social element in society that clings to football that just won’t give up.” This aptly describes not only the football hooligans but the caustic press corps. Poulton (2001) summarised the media classification of football fans as an assiduous portrayal of a uncivilised ruffians; “Hysterical headlines, emotive language, evocative imagery (usually borrowed from the battlefield) and graphic photographs, all help to frame the football fan-cum-hooligan” (Poulton, p.122). These blatant hysterical screaming headlines were evident after the match between Germany and England in Euro 2000 on 18th of June 2000: The People led with, “England supporters bring terror to streets of Charleroi”; The Sunday Mirror, “Drunken fans rampage… heap shame on the nation”; and The Observer headlined, “England’s glory night marred by fans riots” all in bold explicit typefaces (Milopoulos, 2003). Although their team had won an epic game, the tabloids were only interested in the gory facts rather than the glory of their English team winning against a tough opponent. And to sum up the obnoxious altitude of the media The Sun the largest selling tabloid newspaper subsequent headline on 19th June 2000 read, “England’s real Waterloo still to come”. The use of military terminology was insidious and inflammatory to the public. There have been numerous attempts at stamping out football violence amongst fans through various administrative and legislative measures over the years. This includes deterrent sentencing, tighter security measures, the passing of The Football Offences Act in 1991, the formation of the Football Intelligence Unit (FIU), and the controversial I.D. Card Scheme. After the Hillsborough disaster draconian legislation was introduced following the Lord Taylor Report which culminated in the Football Disorder Act of 2000 mainly aimed at fans travelling abroad. These measures drastically reduced disorderly behaviour at stadiums among football fans. Other contemporary steps have been taken by recognizing that fan violence is mainly influenced by intense rivalry involving competing teams and fans alike. This has translated in tangible changes in the structures (architecture) of football stadiums to ensure rival fans are firmly separated. This encompass construction of fences, installation of close circuit cameras that monitor fans behaviour, implementation of the new rules proclamation of an all-seater stadium, and appropriate ticketing procedures that ensure most tickets are not sold on match days. Other measures involve less use of security tactics but incorporating people: involving stewards to spot potential trouble makers, club supporters’ fan clubs that identify delinquent among them and consequently barred from the stadiums, club officials and players are also indoctrinated into altering their offensive behaviour patterns to portray a grander image amongst the fans. The players have to depict good behaviour on and off the football fields at all times. Transport procedures are also well coordinated to reduce entanglements of rival fans prior to and after the matches. These measures effectively curtail conflicts among fans to the minimum. Legal measures are also taken against the recalcitrant fans that habitually display criminal behaviour and hence are duly prosecuted in the public courts of law. Others are however banned by their football clubs from participating in their games as a deterrent measure. Clubs are fined heavily in case of fan trouble emanating from their side. All these measures require close coordination of all the parties involved including club officials, security agents, supporter fan clubs, national and international football officials, local transport officials mostly rail and bus companies, and opposing rival clubs. That the media has played a distinctive role in inflaming temperatures among football fans by hyping up football matches is a foregone conclusion. The media’s insatiable drive for higher circulation figures though has seen them degenerate to despicable levels. Although the presence of football hooligans cannot be denied, the media obsession with the gruesome aspects of the fans which are given more pre-eminence is deplorable. Measures that have been enacted by football authorities and fans have managed to curb football violence greatly in most European countries including England and Italy. Similarly South American football and political administrators have managed to reduce incidences of violence at football matches. The media is therefore obliged to similarly adopt a positive altitude rather than continue their policies of self-indulgent commercialisation of violence. This might assist in permanently stamping out football violence and hooliganism. Poulton (2001) warns that, “If the language of football reporting is increasingly the language of thrills… hard tackles and tough games… drawn from the blitzkrieg and the military showdown, it is not so difficult to understand why some of what is going on (on) the pitch… spills over onto the terraces” (Poulton, p.135). The media’s must tone down its incitement which is detrimental to the continued success and enjoyment of the ‘beautiful game’ and desist from sipping from the reservoir of moral panic which they fuel through inflammatory populist prejudiced irresponsible reporting. A concerted effort from the media which is powerful forum can have an immediate effect on the football fans as depicted in the moderate stadiums in Denmark and Ireland. Football is just a game that should be enjoyed by both the players and fans alike rather than be depicted as a battlefield of competing set of bloodthirsty antagonists. References Adang, O. (1999). Tackling hooliganism. Hague: Committee on Culture and Education, Council of Europe, Doc. 8553. Brimson, D. (2000) Barmy Army: The Changing Face of Football Violence. London: Headline Publishing pg. 179/180 Clark, A. J. (2009). Football Hooliganism - The ‘English Disease’. Hubpages Inc , 1-3. Hall, S, and ‘The Treatment of ‘Football Hooligans’ in the Press, in Ingham et al., (1978) Football Hooliganism: The Wider Context, London: Inter-Action Inprint Milopoulos, T. (2003). Media Studies Extended Essay. London: Headline Publishing. Pearson, G. (2008). Fig Fact-Sheet Four: Hooliganism - Football and Hooliganism. Liverpool: Football Industry Group, University of Liverpool. Rawling, J. (2004, January 5). Worst hooligan problems have now been addressed. Retrieved April 30, 2009, from The Guardian Newspaper: http://www.guardian.co.uk/theguardian/football/hooligans_problems.htm Poulton, E. (2001). Tears, Tantrums and Tattoos, Framing the Hooligan. cited within Perryman, M. (2001). Hooligan Wars. Great Britain: Mainstream Publishing. pp. 122 Standish, D. (2006, June 7). Has The Bell Game Gone Brutal? - A Crisis In Italian Football? Dont Believe The British Hype. Retrieved April 30, 2009, from SpikedOnline.com: http://www.spiked-online.com/index.php?/site/article/773/ Read More