MUMBAI, 13 June 2008 — In quantity and quality, the component of Euro Cup is more than half the World Cup. The Americas, North and South, almost make up the rest. Asia and Africa hardly matter because of the insignifcant number of countries qualifying. Not surprisingly, therefore, the ongoing Euro 2008 gets all the attention.
European soccer is also beset with the notoriety of rowdyism and violent behavior within the legions of the camp followers. For any country hosting a major tournament anywhere on the continent, security, both inside and outside the stadia, is a huge headache. The constabulary and the riot-squads far outnumber the spectators.
We are still in the early days of the current Euro 2008 and we have already had the all-too-familiar outburst of scuffles and brawls in city squares in the otherwise peaceful and serene host-countries of Switzerland and Austria.
On the second night itself, supporters of Germany and Poland, unable to gain entry into the match venue in Vienna, clashed in the city-square, while viewing the match on the giant TV screen. Hundreds of fans of both teams, involved in drunken brawls, were arrested. A few of them were ambulance cases.
Taking a hint from the Austrian police, the Swiss forces acted instantly to prevent similar incidents by refusing entry to a bunch of known trouble-makers. Their bus was stopped at Basel, the Swiss town bordering Germany.
To say that strict watch is being kept on potentially riotous crowd would be an understatement. Even the teams have been warned of possible unsavory fallout like the kind of action that was taken against English club Liverpool, who were banned from playing in European tournaments for two years after large-scaling rioting by their supporters.
Why do we see such ugly display of hooliganism and violence in soccer, especially in Europe? The first reason is the very inherent nature of the game, which so easily lends itself to open display of passion, coming as they do in troughs to the stadium. But, more importantly, it is the permissiveness of allowing spectators to carry all kinds of intoxicants with them.
Of course, there is very little that the authorities can do when spectators turn violent in celebration or in depression after the match and faraway from the venues. It is almost impossible to prevent or break such congregations.
Is this the price that hosting nations have to pay for the tremendous popularity of soccer, undeniably the No. 1 sport in the world?
