Sunday News
15 July 2012
Education, Sport, Arts and Culture Minister David Coltart has urged Castle Lager Premier Soccer League clubs to play a role in controlling their errant fans during soccer matches.
Coltart’s clarion call comes amid revelations that Government would introduce a “No tolerance against derogatory chants†policy that seeks to close in on clubs whose fans perpetrate hateful and discriminatory language aimed at its rivals.
In an interview with Sunday Sport last Thursday Coltart said it was hoped the policy would go a long way in curbing violent conduct among other ills in Zimbabwean soccer. The measures might see clubs such as the PSL powerhouses Highlanders and Dynamos and CAPS United bear the heavy brunt the most as their supporters have composed derogatory songs that denigrate their opponents. Coltart said the move was necessitated by a need to turn football into a family sport rather than a violent one.
“We will soon be launching a “No tolerance against derogatory chants†policy which is aimed at ensuring that stadiums are cleaned of all the offensive and discriminatory language currently polluting match venues. It is standard international procedure that clubs should be liable for how their fans behave during matches and thus, if these offensive chants persist, serious action will be taken against the clubs,†said Coltart, who watched the high profile game between CAPS United and Highlanders on Sunday last week. Coltart said it was unethical for the fans to chant insulting slogans as in most cases that resulted in violence among themselves. “My visit to Barbourfields on Sunday last week was pretty disheartening as the manner in which fans conducted themselves was contrary to our efforts of making football a family sport, as the fans were using football as an avenue of expressing their grievances to the police officers present through all kinds insults you can think of,†he said.
Coltart also advised that for Barbourfields to be in a position to host international matches, fans need to adopt a different attitude altogether as the current one was rather repulsive to their bid. “How can we push for the hosting of international matches throughout the country when fans are behaving in such a horrible manner? We do not want to embarrass ourselves in front of the international community so there is need to clubs and fans to clean up the mess,†he said.
The call by the minister comes after he recently directed the Sports and Recreation Commission to ensure that national team games were spread across the country.
“I believe that the National Sports Stadium, Rufaro and Barbourfields are the only grounds which meet Fifa specifications and so, in future, matches should be held alternately and evenly at all three of these grounds,†Coltart was quoted as saying.
Veteran soccer administrator Ndumiso Gumede also echoed the minister’s sentiments that clubs should do more to conscientise fans on the importance of using proper language to cheer their teams.
“Sadly, that is in football, that when people go to matches, foul language is to be expected, as soccer is believed to be an emotional and passionate sport that has a lot of effect on people but I also think that clubs are also not taking up the initiative to enlighten their fans enough against the use of chants, which are often along tribal lines and containing traces of psychological sexual abuses to those of the feminine sex. Imagine if I had to take my daughter and wife to watch a game at one of the local stadiums and fans starting singing songs which are entirely vulgar- do you honestly think I will be comfortable when my daughter is psychologically molested like that?†said Gumede.
Gumede also felt that the Government should borrow a leaf from countries such as Scotland where stiff penalties have been used to curb the use of bad language during matches. “The Government should simply act upon enacting punitive measures on the clubs as they are failing to address the matter at hand. Let us take a leaf at countries such as Scotland where they have totally made it a crime punishable with up to five years for any abusive statements uttered during games,†he added. In December 2011 the Scottish parliament passed the Offensive Behaviour at Football Matches and Threatening Communications Bill, which criminalises “offensive†songs and chants by football fans and making “serious threats,†including expressions of religious hatred, online and elsewhere. The law carries penalties of fines as well as prison sentences of up to five years.