Fanatical Fans

[sourboy]

http://www.cnn.com/2009/SPORT/05/28/nigeria.death.united.barcelona/index.html

(CNN) -- A man "angered" by Manchester United's defeat to Barcelona in the final of the Champions League killed four people when he drove a minibus into a crowd celebrating the Spanish side's victory, police in Nigeria have told CNN. Ten people were also injured in the incident in the town of Ogbo, where the driver was subsequently arrested, a Port Harcourt Police spokesperson said.

"He was displaying his anger at his team losing the match. The driver had passed the crowd then made a U-turn and ran into them," spokesperson Rita Inomey-Abbey said.

Okay, so I can understand how winning a championship can lead fans to excessive celebration, especially when drunk, and often some serious or stupid crimes. Why does it seem so common though that soccer/football matches in Europe involve deliberate violence, and on too many occasions -- death?

In my 30+ years, I can maybe recall once or twice where a brutal attack was made here in America, due to enraged fans -- however it seems every few years this happens in Europe. What's so special about this sport? What's so important that cities or countries become so upset over a game? You don't hear this happening in the Olympics (a grander stage).

Any insight would be appreciated.

 

[warpus]

Okay, so I can understand how winning a championship can lead fans to excessive celebration, especially when drunk, and often some serious or stupid crimes. Why does it seem so common though that soccer/football matches in Europe involve deliberate violence, and on too many occasions -- death?

In my 30+ years, I can maybe recall once or twice where a brutal attack was made here in America, due to enraged fans -- however it seems every few years this happens in Europe. What's so special about this sport? What's so important that cities or countries become so upset over a game? You don't hear this happening in the Olympics (a grander stage).

Any insight would be appreciated.

You should read your articles before you post them - this happened in Nigeria, not Europe.

I remember reading a couple weeks ago about an Arsenal fan from some African Nation (Gabon?) who committed suicide when Arsenal got knocked out of the Champion's league. Does this sort of thing happen more often in Africa than on other continents? *shrug*. So far all we have is a bit of anecdotal evidence.

 

[Soil]

The general violence is mostly just Hooliganism, but that isn't confined to just Europe. You have tensions between football fans all over the world, domestic and internationally.

It may just be that some people are overly passionate about football since it's such a widely played sport in most parts of the world. So there's a lot of pride going into winning certain big cups such as the Champions League and especially the Euro Cup/World Cup.

About how Hooliganism occurs less in America... maybe being in a foreign country where you can't understand what the opposing team's fans are chanting at you creates more tension between those seeking for trouble, or when you suffer a heavy/humiliating defeat when you travelled abroad in hopes of seeing your team win.

Then there are simply just individuals that aren't really Hooligans but just a bit too overly passionate about the sport and happen to just snap and do something stupid. A good dose of mental instability is probably needed too. These guys can surely be found in any country.

 

[aelf]

Because football is a hooligan sport. It is meant to satisfy the frustrated bloodlust of the public, and hence sometimes it is naturally followed by bloodletting.

 

[classical_hero]

I remember LA going up in flames after the Lakers won. There are idiot fans everywhere.

 

[sourboy]

You should read your articles before you post them - this happened in Nigeria, not Europe.

I did read the article, and if you understood the point of the thread you'd know the location of the event is moot, as the reference was to the European fans -- in this case Manchester, England vs Barcelona, Spain.

About how Hooliganism occurs less in America... maybe being in a foreign country where you can't understand what the opposing team's fans are chanting at you creates more tension between those seeking for trouble, or when you suffer a heavy/humiliating defeat when you travelled abroad in hopes of seeing your team win.

Good point on language barriers, but then again -- if a fan is taunting you in your language (pick a local rivalry), you taunt back -- but you don't try to kill them. If you later find a fan speaking another language, does it really make it worse? "I'll kill you and your mother" is far worse than what's more or less gibberish in a foreign language. I can't imagine the foreign words would be significantly worse than what you've heard in an understood language, and again -- far short of what it'd take to kill someone. This guy turned his car around and drove into these people! Foreign gibberish is not enough to warrant that type of momentary rage, IMHO.

I remember LA going up in flames after the Lakers won. There are idiot fans everywhere.

As I stated in the original post, all fans are susceptible to foolish crimes, but murder?

 

[warpus]

Go to a soccer game in Europe, and you'll see a "supporters" section, where nobody is sitting, everyone is chanting, waving giant flags, jumping up and down, etc., in some places even flares are lit. This sort of atmosphere just does not happen in North America - although it can possibly get close in College football (I'm just guessing here, this is from what I've heard, not directly seen or experienced).

There is a bit of a different type of atmosphere and mentality there - north american fans express their enthusiasm and passion for their teams in a totally different way. Europeans/south americans/africans are more likely to sing/dance/stand the entire game/really get into it, whereas during north american events it is more of a "sit back and enjoy the game" type of thing.

I mean, take a look at this. Isn't it kind of obvious how this sort of atmosphere can lead to hightened emotional states - more likely leading to violence? Do you ever see something like this in north american sports - No - the fans express themselves differently. American fans are a lot more reserved - not even singing is commonplace. Cup finals do raise tensions and emotions, but not to the same level.

And why soccer, and not the olympics, like the OP asked? Well, Soccer is the #1 sport in the world, by far. It is the national sport of almost every country on this planet. The olympics are a bit of a novelty, in comparison.

I did read the article, and if you understood the point of the thread you'd know the location of the event is moot, as the reference was to the European fans -- in this case Manchester, England vs Barcelona, Spain.

The example of this you used was an African fan. Would have been far more appropriate to include a story about actual European fans instead.

It'd be like me going "Hey, look at those crazy Canadian fans" and then linking to a story about Chinese fans watching hockey.

 

[SS-18 ICBM]

Wasn't there a war fought between two countries because of football results?

 

[holy king]

this wasnt a united fan but some lunatic who happened to be a united fan. so what?

 

[Agent327]

"Fan" is just short for "fanatic", so there you go.

 

[Yeekim]

Wasn't there a war fought between two countries because of football results?

And, ironically, on American continent...
But afaik it is not quite true - there were other reasons for this conflict besides soccer.

 

[SS-18 ICBM]

But afaik it is not quite true - there were other reasons for this conflict besides soccer.

Well, of course. It's an oversimplification. That would be like saying World War I was caused by the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand alone.

 

[Lillefix]

I suppose I could link to the Football war:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Football_war

 

[Brighteye]

Maybe North American sports are too slow for that sort of tension to grip someone. There are set pieces of action, endless breaks and it all can take three hours.
Breaking things up really changes the way people perceive things. It's like me hanging either a beautiful picture on the wall or a load of jigsaw puzzle pieces.

 

[fugazi]

Rofl! Nigerians, the new Europeans.

I remember reading that a Nigerian (or somewhere else in that western/north-western part of Africa) man hang himself after Chelsea got kicked out of the CL earlier this year.

 

[Winner]

You know what's funny?

When a crazy idiot shoots few people in a school, the (German) authorities blame violent computer games and propose a ban on them.

I propose a ban on football

 

[Brighteye]

And trying to blame this on European football is silly. These are clubs with international renown. It's like finding that an employee of Coca-Cola had a fit and deciding that American corporations are terrible.

 

[Shekwan]

Because football is a hooligan sport. It is meant to satisfy the frustrated bloodlust of the public, and hence sometimes it is naturally followed by bloodletting.

I hope you're kidding...

In my 30+ years, I can maybe recall once or twice where a brutal attack was made here in America, due to enraged fans -- however it seems every few years this happens in Europe. What's so special about this sport? What's so important that cities or countries become so upset over a game? You don't hear this happening in the Olympics (a grander stage).

Any insight would be appreciated.

Its just a different sporting culture. In the US sports teams are for entertainment, in Europe and South America the local football team is an extension of ones identity.

And trying to blame this on European football is silly. These are clubs with international renown. It's like finding that an employee of Coca-Cola had a fit and deciding that American corporations are terrible.

Exactly.

 

[Phlegmak]

In Rome, they stab opposing team fans in the ass.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/magazine/8068088.stm

 

[classical_hero]

Actually this is the right forum, since we are dealing with violence, not the actual sport, so it is the right forum.