Football clubs must do more to curb fan violence, says Interior minister
Interior minister Bernard Quintin has urged football clubs to take stronger action to prevent violence at matches, following clashes between fans on the day of the Belgian Cup final earlier this month.
Quintin made his statement on Wednesday following a meeting with Lorin Parys, the CEO of the Pro League. Although the meeting had been arranged some time ago, it took place 10 days after the violence that occurred on the fringes of the Belgian Cup final between Anderlecht and Club Brugge, which left around 80 people injured.
As a result of the violence, Anderlecht mayor Fabrice Cumps has banned Club Brugge fans from attending the match between the two rival teams on Sunday. He said their safety could not be guaranteed. Although the away fans sought legal action against the ban, they accepted the mayor's decision on Wednesday.
Quintin also wants the clubs to do more to prevent violence. Specifically, he wants them to step up their efforts to identify troublemakers in the stands. One way to achieve this would be through efficient video surveillance, in order to punish perpetrators of misconduct more quickly and severely.
"Recent events have shown that violence in and around stadiums remains a scourge that must be combated," said Quintin. "The culprits must be punished as severely as possible by the judicial authorities. The provisions of the Football Law that already allow stadium bans for rioters must be applied."
The law he referred to will soon be tightened further. Changes include higher fines and the creation of a central database of stadium bans to ensure better compliance. Stricter action will also be taken in the event of racist offences. The authorities are also studying the possibility of using biometrics for stadium access control.
Police on the field after a match between Royal Antwerp and Beerschot in 2024 © BELGA PHOTO TOM GOYVAERTS
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