Violence in Sport…Violence in Sport…Mr. P. LeightonMr. P. Leighton

Contemporary Sporting IssuesContemporary Sporting Issues

Socio-Cultural Studies.Socio-Cultural Studies.

Today’s Session…Today’s Session…

Understand the issues surrounding Understand the issues surrounding violence in sport.violence in sport.

Look at some examples of both Look at some examples of both player and spectator violence.player and spectator violence.

Understand the problems and Understand the problems and possible solutions to violence in possible solutions to violence in sport.sport.

Aggression Vs. Assertion…Aggression Vs. Assertion…

CONTROLLED AGGRESSION (Assertion) CONTROLLED AGGRESSION (Assertion) is a fundamental part of sport.is a fundamental part of sport.

However, when it spills over into an However, when it spills over into an uncontrolled situation serious injury can uncontrolled situation serious injury can occur.occur.

Violence on the streets= Criminal Violence on the streets= Criminal OffenceOffence

Violence in sport= sometimes endorsed Violence in sport= sometimes endorsed or partially penalised. or partially penalised.

Violence in Sport: A Violence in Sport: A History…History…

Sport and violence have Sport and violence have always gone hand-in-hand always gone hand-in-hand historically- examples?historically- examples?

Remember our work on Remember our work on surviving ethnic sports? surviving ethnic sports?

Mob football is still Mob football is still characterised by violence characterised by violence and brutality today!and brutality today!

After 1850, however, sport After 1850, however, sport became more associated with became more associated with fair play and sportsmanship- fair play and sportsmanship- why?why?

Games were not taken to Games were not taken to seriously in the schools, seriously in the schools, taking part was more taking part was more important.important.

Physicality Vs. Gentlemanly Physicality Vs. Gentlemanly conduct?conduct?

Sports were played to the Sports were played to the letter of the law- the letter of the law- the Victorians thrived upon the Victorians thrived upon the rigidity of rules and sport was rigidity of rules and sport was no different.no different.

Violence in Sport: Today…Violence in Sport: Today… Times have changed!Times have changed! Amateurish attitudes Amateurish attitudes

have begun to be have begun to be squeezed out of squeezed out of sport.sport.

Stakes are high- Stakes are high- money is the main money is the main aim and stadia aim and stadia become like become like “Cauldrons” for “Cauldrons” for performers.performers.

Gamesmanship is Gamesmanship is now commonplace!now commonplace!

Some Key Terms…Some Key Terms…

Sportsmanship: Fair play throughout Sportsmanship: Fair play throughout sport.sport.

Gamesmanship: Stretching the rules to Gamesmanship: Stretching the rules to gain an unfair advantage.gain an unfair advantage.

Deviance: (in sport) Seriously breaking Deviance: (in sport) Seriously breaking the rules and norms (of sport)the rules and norms (of sport)

Violence by Participants…Violence by Participants…

Cheating: Cheating: A blatant A blatant infringement infringement of the rules of the rules and codes and codes and a and a disregard of disregard of the values of the values of

sport.sport.

This can be categorised and explained in the following This can be categorised and explained in the following terms…terms…

Health: Health: Causes Causes injury and injury and physical physical damage, damage, can be life can be life threateninthreateningg

Legality: Legality: Against the Against the laws of the laws of the land and is land and is more more noticeable in noticeable in sport through sport through punishments.punishments.

Role Role Modelling: Modelling: Elite sports Elite sports performers performers have a have a responsibility responsibility to young to young people.people.

The possible causes of violence The possible causes of violence by players…by players…

Emotional Intensity

Crowd Behaviour

Weapons

De-Humanised view Of the opposition

Disappointment andFrustration

Provocation

Nature of the game

Importance of The result

Causes of Violence…

GREATER NUMBERS/MORE AUTHORITY:Referees, umpires

And linesmen.

EDUCATION:NGB’s and clubs to instil

Ethos of fair play inperformers

MORE SERVERE PENALTIES:

Penalty tries, sin bins, Yellow cards, bans,Lifetime bans etc

RULE CHANGES:Combat the ways players

And coaches try to swerve The rules i.e. Rugby ELV’s

TECHNOLOGY:Video playback to assess

and adjudicate on Unfair play.

Possible solutions To the problem…

Violence by Spectators…Violence by Spectators…

Aggressive acts and rebellious Aggressive acts and rebellious behaviour at sporting events is not new.behaviour at sporting events is not new.

““Hooliganism exemplifies to perfection Hooliganism exemplifies to perfection the difficulty of disentangling what is the difficulty of disentangling what is new from what is old in social history”new from what is old in social history”

““Peace, peace is what I Peace, peace is what I seek and public calm; seek and public calm; endless extinction of endless extinction of unhappy hates”.unhappy hates”.

Mathew Arnold, 1985Mathew Arnold, 1985

Spectator Violence: A Spectator Violence: A History…History… The problem was around in pre-industrial The problem was around in pre-industrial

days and throughout Victorian England.days and throughout Victorian England. Hooligan, a fictitious Irish immigrant family at Hooligan, a fictitious Irish immigrant family at

the time of immigration into the UK gave us the time of immigration into the UK gave us the term “Hooligans/Hooliganism”.the term “Hooligans/Hooliganism”.

Hooliganism raised its head in the 1960’s in Hooliganism raised its head in the 1960’s in connection with the violent behaviour of connection with the violent behaviour of predominantly white, urban, unskilled males predominantly white, urban, unskilled males at football matches…at football matches…

Alcohol orDrugs

Racism and“Religion”

Poor provisionFor spectators

The score orresult

Limited outletsFor stress Activity by a

Minority of Violent

criminals

Diminished Responsibility

Chanting andAbuse

Controversy

Pre-matchHype

Copied Violence on

Pitch

Ritual importanceOf the event

Causes ofCrowd Violence

Case Study: Heysel 1985…Case Study: Heysel 1985… 39 Spectators (31 Juventus 39 Spectators (31 Juventus

fans) were crushed to death fans) were crushed to death trying to escape a charge by trying to escape a charge by Liverpool fans.Liverpool fans.

250 Others were injured.250 Others were injured. All in front of a worldwide TV All in front of a worldwide TV

audience.audience. Italian PM Bettino Craxi said Italian PM Bettino Craxi said

the UK was “A country the UK was “A country submerged in disgrace by submerged in disgrace by the criminal actions of violent the criminal actions of violent and irresponsible groups.and irresponsible groups.

Liverpool were banned from Liverpool were banned from Europe for 5 years.Europe for 5 years.

Case Study: Hillsborough Case Study: Hillsborough 1989…1989…

This had nothing to do This had nothing to do with hooliganism, but with hooliganism, but a miscalculation and a miscalculation and irresponsible policing irresponsible policing and overcrowding.and overcrowding.

95 people died after 95 people died after hundreds were hundreds were channelled into an channelled into an already overcrowded already overcrowded section of the stadium.section of the stadium.

Resultant reports led Resultant reports led to more seating at to more seating at games and less games and less standing room.standing room.

Improve Facilities

Control of Alcohol

Liason between police Across the country i.e.

Wigan Vs. Milwall.

Separation of Fans

Tougher deterrentsSevere punishments

Use of CCTV to subdueViolence and hooliganism

Responsible Media Coverage

Promotion of sport as“Family Entertainment”

Solutions to the problemOf violence by supporters…

(Football)

Key Words/Terms from Key Words/Terms from today?today?