WHAT A shame that in a week that has seen such unprecedented football triumph for such a small country, with three teams qualifying for prestigious European competitions, the headlines should have been as much about the sickening behaviour of hooligans as they have been about the sensational achievements on the pitch.
First, we witnessed the disgraceful scenes in Athens, when a mob of Olympiakos hooligans rained projectiles on visiting Anorthosis fans as they arrived at the stadium. The images of Cypriot supporters – ironically clad in Greek flags – running for cover as riot police tried to shield them from the flying rocks will have stayed in many viewers’ minds as much as the scenes of jubilation after the final whistle.
The Cypriot team quite rightly condemned the Greek club for failing even to apologise, even hinting it had stoked the hostile atmosphere and pointing out a stadium security guard had hit the club chairman in earlier incidents when the team was attacked as they arrived to train the previous day. They also had harsh words for the Greek sports press, which had gone out of its way to whip up a frenzied atmosphere ahead of the Cypriot team’s arrival.
But just as we were trying to come to terms with the fact that Greek supporters had been “worse than the Turks” in their treatment of visiting Cypriot fans came the reports of dozens of masked hooligans, thought to be from APOEL, brandishing clubs and smashing up cars belonging to supporters of rival Nicosia team Omonia on Thursday night.
This on the night when both sides had cause to celebrate after clinching results that sent them into the UEFA Cup proper. What should have been a night of celebration for the capital turned into a night of violence, with police unable to intervene because fans had gridlocked the main avenue where the trouble was taking place.
We should have been rejoicing at unprecedented sporting achievement. Instead we are lamenting the tribalism that has turned the terraces in Cyprus and Greece into a breeding ground for mindless thugs. Indeed much of the criticism that was directed at Olympiakos also applies at home.
For too long, clubs have encouraged a vicious rivalry, an abusive intimidation of rival teams and their supporters that can so easily spill over into violence. For too long, they have given excuses for their hooligans, blaming rival fans, referees and the police.
If we are to celebrate football again, it’s time everyone took their own responsibilities to boot out ‘supporters’ that only bring shame to the clubs whose colours they wear. With such success on the pitch, we have a right to enjoy the game without worrying whether we are going to get beaten up for the scarf we wear.
