Opinion
By George Logidis
I wonder in which country, after years of discussions and consultations, legislation on violence in sports venues is drafted, approved, and then—right from the very first moment of its implementation—found to have gaps and weaknesses. In which European country, after it is determined that the relevant legislation needs amendments and improvements, does it take years before those amendments are submitted to the appropriate committees for discussion and, ultimately, approval? Perhaps the answer can be found in the occasional statements from officials about their determination to make the right decisions and their efforts to accelerate the necessary procedures.
In which country are provisions of the law aimed at addressing violence in stadiums either not enforced or, more accurately, practically unenforceable—fully known and tolerated by the responsible authorities? Take, for instance, a fan card system that requires numbered seats in stadiums where some sections have no seating at all, or security surveillance systems installed in venues with cameras whose resolution is too poor to be of any use.
In which country does the competent Stadium Licensing Authority issue permits and certificates of suitability, only for police intervention to later reveal that, in some cases, flaws and deficiencies were conveniently swept under the rug? In what country does the police force, despite being aware of these gaps and shortcomings, still grant approval for matches to be held—whether they are high-risk or extremely high-risk—only to later express sudden reservations and shift responsibility elsewhere for ensuring the smooth conduct of the games? Is this the same country where the police chief claims the force is unafraid to maintain order, yet at times calls for a ban on fan travel?
Which country’s league operates under different conditions for teams competing for the same objectives? Where some teams are forced to play without their supporters—not due to sanctions—while their rivals, facing the same opponents in the same stadiums, benefit from the presence of their fans?
Are there other countries where clubs with thousands of supporters tolerate a small minority of troublemakers, pay hefty fines for their behavior, and ultimately penalize the majority—especially season ticket holders—due to imposed sanctions, all while granting those same few troublemakers preferential access to tickets?
I wonder—does anyone have difficulty identifying the answer and the country?
*This article was translated from its Greek original
