- Video
-
Club Roar
Captured a great grassroots sporting moment? We want to see it!Content Collections
The Roar Community
- Join
- Login
You’ve probably heard the arguments before: “Flares make the experience at football games better” and “They do it in Europe, so why can’t we?”
I understand these arguments. Flares in active support give a surreal feeling and represents the fan’s passion. We see flares at football games from all over the football world; from Argentina to Serbia, Turkey to China.
Yet here in Australia, flares are banned outside marine use. So why should we allow flares at games?
The answer is simple: we shouldn’t.
They are banned for a reason – they’re dangerous. For flares to be used in such tight places presents health and safety risks, such as burns and smoke inhalation.
More football:
» Wanderers still top dogs, but mischief makers must pull their heads in
» FFA must dock the Wanderers competition points
» FFA talking tough could be rough for Wanderers
» Fan issues escalate: FFA charge Wanderers with bringing game into disrepute
» It’s time for A-League supporters to unite against flares
» A-League fans have shot themselves in the foot
But there are many issues surrounding the use of flares from the match against Melbourne Victory and Western Sydney Wanderers that needs to be address.
First, 19 flares were ripped at the A-League game in Melbourne. Nineteen! How do 19 flares get through security? I’m not blaming security, but if that many flares can get through, surely anything else could get through.
Second, and probably the most annoying fact surrounding flares and fan behaviour in Australian football, is the constant degrading of the sport from mainstream media. We see this from high-profile journalists such as Rebecca Wilson and Alan Jones, as well as deliberate ignorance from the media of fan behaviour in other sports.
At the rugby sevens, 81 fans were removed from Allianz Stadium. Only four were ejected from Victory-Wanderers game. Yet you can guess which one caught all the attention. At the Boxing Day Test 90 fans were ejected from the game at the MCG. On the same weekend, the A-League was incident free. Only 103 people were removed from stadiums on 58 previous occasions.
I’m not saying any sport is better than another in terms of fan behaviour; they all suffer from a few idiots ruining the fun for everyone else. But football is a constant victim.
Lastly, the fining of the Wanderers and the suspended three-point deduction goes to show that anyone can pull on any A-League jersey, rip a flare, and bring that club into disrepute. The FFA cannot find the people responsible, so they blame and punish the whole group. It is yet another of many issues that David Gallop needs to address.
The FFA use active support in advertisements, yet are punishing them for the very thing they advertise. A CEO who represents and understands the fans needs to come in, and show that the A-League is not a profit tool for the FFA.
I condemn the actions of the few Western Sydney Wanderers fans who ripped flares – if they were true fans, they wouldn’t do it. Football in Australia has come so far, it would be a shame for the actions of a few idiots to wreck the hard work we’ve done.
Are you the ultimate team manager? Pick your own superstar team and go head to head with other football fans for glory and cash prizes on Draftstars. Imagine what you could be buying instead. Set a deposit limit.