Blackwell Reference Online

Extract

Multiple definitions of fan violence exist in the sociology of sport. Some are limited to specific behaviors, such as hand-to-hand fighting or acts of vandalism, or to violence committed in the context of a particular sport, whereas others are more expansive. Because research shows that the phenomenon is diverse, the latter definitional approach is more useful. Therefore, violence among fans is best understood as involving direct or indirect acts of physical violence by sports spectators, at or away from the sports arena, that result in injury to persons or damage to property. Unlike acts of violence among athletes, violence among fans elicits anxious responses from the authorities and often is closely policed. The occurrence of numerous injurious, and several deadly, crowd episodes has sensitized the public and social controllers to the need for careful regulation of sports crowds. In many countries fan violence is seen as a serious social problem, and strict measures, including new laws, have been introduced ( Young 2000, 2002 ). Fans of British and European soccer have certainly gained notoriety for their violent rituals and practices, but, in fact, violent crowd disturbances occur regularly worldwide. Many sports have been affected, some more consistently than others, and some perhaps more surprising than others. These include, but are not restricted to, baseball, cricket, ... log in or subscribe to read full text