Managing spectator violence at football matches : local perceptions.

Abstract

Football Spectators' behaviour has been, for many years, a major cause for conern throughout the world, even in Malta. Supporters behaving violently during sports activities have been labeled as hooligans (Frosdick and Marsh, 2005). This long essay contains a review of research and theoretical approaches of football spectator violence in Malta. Specific attention has been given to the roles of Spectators who frequent the local football, Administrators from the Malta Football Association/Clubs, Team Coaches and the state Police officials, in the emergence of obvious issues at football matches and the potential reasons of causing violence and possibilities to curb it. Spectator Violence throughout football matches in its aspect of sports violence is often overshadowed by its more well known counterpart, being violence by hooligans. Even though its limited popularity as a research, it has been the focus of study as confirmed by various authours (Coakley, 2001; David, 2005; McNamee and Parry, 1998; Yannakis and Melnick, 2001 as cited in Aquilina, 2008). The main aim and focus of this study is to inquire into popular and local perceptions pertaining to spectator violence and its potential management. This aim is intended to be achieved by qualitatively analysing the perceptions of people who play some form of role within the local field of football. This dissertation will aim to get answers for certain questions such as; What are their opinions regarding the subject at hand? Do they perceive the situation as a common one? What are their beliefs regarding the causes of this problem? What solutions do they propose?