ZIFA Wants Lengthy Stadium Bans For Football Hooligans, Crackdown On Tribal Chants
The ZIFA Normalisation Committee has called for lengthy bans to be imposed on football fans found guilty of violence at stadiums during matches.
This comes after rowdy Highlanders fans forced the abandonment of the high-profile league match against Dynamos and on Sunday, 10 September.
Bosso fans invaded the pitch during the first half of the match and chased after police officers, protesting what they believed were injustices by the referee.
In a statement released this Thursday, ZIFA also revealed that it was lobbying for an Exclusive Focus Group (EFG) to crack down on offensive songs and tribal or racial chants at football matches. ZIFA said:
The association is grateful to the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) for apprehending suspected perpetrators of hooliganism at Barbourfields Stadium.
It is our sincere hope that criminals found guilty of disorderly conduct will face the full wrath of the law.
Further, we will push for further enforcement of lengthy stadium bans for anyone found causing trouble at stadiums.
Football is a team sport, and supporters should also play their part to keep the game civilized.
As a commercial sport, football needs order so that sponsors can feel proud to associate their brands with it.
That becomes extremely difficult if barbaric acts of pitch invasion and violence are a part of our game.
As the association, we will continue engaging all concerned stakeholders so that we can come up with foolproof solutions to the eternal challenge of hooliganism.
The association is also concerned by the offensive songs and chants peculiar to our football.
Going forward, the association is lobbying for an Exclusive Focus Group (EFG) to crackdown on offensive songs and tribal or racial chants which include offensive gestures and displaying of offensive messaging that cause feelings of discomfort and discrimination to rival supporters.
ZIFA urged clubs and other football stakeholders to increase education and awareness campaigns to enlighten supporters on the dangers of violence at football matches.
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