It’s high time teams must strongly rein their supporters
Most teams are paying are paying heavy fines after their supporters have been found guilty of unsporting behaviour and misconduct despite numerous calls from authorities and the media that the fans should start behaving themselves.
Nyasa Big Bullets have been fined a whopping K500,000 for the action of one supporter, who is alleged to have poured what has been described as ‘liquid substances’ on Cobbe Barracks players as they walked to the dressing room at half time during their Carlsberg Cup match between on Sunday, August 13 played at Balaka Stadium.
What others believed was that his ‘liquid substance’ was human urine poured out from a bottle the fan, identified as Lyton Thobo Kabuwaza, is suspected to have urinated in.
This is really pathetic and disgusting and to crown it all, the People’s Team suffered further because the offence by Kabuwaza was aggravated further because Bullets Supporters Committee even aided Kabuwaza to escape police arrest.
Good people, let’s not indulge in such sickening and revolting behaviour. Let us be civilised and live to our national motto of the Warm Heart of Africa. This slogan must be applied amongst ourselves.
For his action, Kabuwaza is banned from patronising any match being hosted by Football Association (Fam) as well taking part in any football related activities for the rest of the 2017 football season and the Bullets were ordered to ensure compliance of the ban imposed on Kabuwaza.
Just recently, Mighty Be Forward Wanderers were also heavily fined when one of their supporters was spotted urinating at the goalposts during a match at Bingu National Stadium. He was pictured by those who spotted him and the picture went viral on social media.
That act was seen by the whole world and as a nation we were ridiculed that we can let fans do that. The question posed was where was the security to stop the fans from misbehaving like that.
Of course, there are some bad elements everywhere. In the Western world there are some crazy people they call streakers, who strip naked and run on the field. The security dash after them and are apprehended and taken away.
Some don’t strip, especially women, who just dash across the field to try and reach their favourite player to hug or kiss him. Such people are heavily punished and if repeated several times, they are denied the opportunity to buy a ticket.
It was decided to built tunnels for players to the dressing rooms by the Western world because fans there were attempting to harm players while many hurled insults at them.
Here in Malawi, the proper tunnel is at Bingu Stadium. The Kamuzu Stadium tunnel only protects the players just halfway and the other half they are exposed to any missile attack. The rest of the stadia don’t even have one.
Tunnels were suggected as an addition to the stadia by world football governing body, Fifa because fans do become hostile towards players and officiating personnel.
Fam must make sure that all stadia are provided with secure and safe tunnels. There are supposed to be there for a purpose like stopping fans from pouring urine or any other dangerous stuff at the players and refs.
At the same time, the stadia should also have public address system to sensintise the fans of the consequences if they are caught acting in an unsporting behaviour. The fans must be told that their teams shall be heavily fined and told of the consequences of such heavy fine — that the players shall be denied of hefty financial rewards if they win matches.
Please, team officials, plead with your fans from misbehaving because their actions are hurting teams financially. The fine, half a million kwacha, is a lot and if saved properly in the team’s coffers can help the team to assist a player in dire need like medical bills if seriously injured or to help them when bereaved as is our tradition.
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