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Hooliganism

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Hooliganism is slang for unruly and/or destructive behavior. Such behavior is commonly associated with sports fans (particularly of both American and association football) and university students, although the accuracy of such beliefs is open to interpretation. Perhaps an iconic example is late-night parties ending in public intoxication. The term has been widely used since at least the 1890s to describe various street gangs of youths behaving indecently.

Contents

Origin of name

The origin of the name is uncertain, but it is known that it appeared in an 1898 London police report. One theory has the name coming from an Irish hoodlum from Southwark (London) named Patrick Hooligan; another has it coming from a street gang in Islington named "Hooley", a third lists "Hooley" as an Irish word which means a wild, spirited party.#redirect

History of hooliganism and its relationship with sport

Violence in sports has a long history. In the 6th century, rivalry between supporters of the Blue and Green chariot-racing teams in Constantinople, led to 30,000 deaths in the week of the Nika riots in 532.

The game of association football has been associated with violence since its beginnings in 13th century England. Medieval football matches involved hundreds of players, and were essentially pitched battles between the young men of rival villages. Only two periods in British history have been relatively free of football-related violence: the inter-war years and the decade following the Second World War.

The behaviour now known as football hooliganism began in England in the early 1950s. In other European countries, similar patterns of behaviour emerged about fifteen or twenty years later, in the early 1970s. Italian fans created a particularly fanatical brand of football support known as Ultras, who are now a major force in the Italian game and are prevalent in a few other European countries.

Hooliganism in the Soviet Union and Russia

In the Soviet Union "hooliganism" (хулиганство, khuliganstvo) was made a criminal offence under the penal codes of the Soviet republics. In the Russian Soviet Federated Socialist Republic (RSFSR), article 216 of the penal code defined "hooliganism" as "any deliberate behaviour which violates public order and expresses explicit disrespect towards the society." This article was used to cover a wide range of behaviours such as vagrancy, stalking, foul language, etc. This law was often used by Soviet authorities against political dissidents involved in public protest.

Hooliganism is still covered under the criminal and administrative codes of the Russian Federation and applicable to persons at least 16 years (the age of full responsibility, by Soviet and Russian laws). Hooliganism is graded into "Malicious hooliganism" (злостное хулиганство, zlostnoye khuliganstvo), (simply) hooliganism, and "Petty hooliganism" (мелкое хулиганиство, melkoye khuliganstvo).

"Petty hooliganism" is "subject to administrative proceedings" ("привлекаться к административной ответственности" (roughly equivalent to application of the civil law)) and classified as "административный проступок" (administrativny prostupok), which is roughly equivalent to infraction). It is applied to deal with minor street disorders, fighting, and disorderly behaviour generally, mainly by urban youth. The two remaining grades are criminal offences. "Malicious hooliganism" is hooliganism committed "with extraordinary cynicism, with resistance to law enforcement, with usage of arms or attempt thereof, or committed by a recidivist."

Hooliganism in Iran

In Iran, hooliganism--including football hooliganism--is punished by prison or death. According to the SMCCDI (Students Movements Coordination Committee for Democracy in Iran) four Esfahan residents were executed by hanging between April 8 and 9 for their part in the October 2001 riots, when hundreds of youths took to the streets following a defeat of the Iranian national football team in a World Cup qualifying match. The four were accused of "banditry", "hooliganism" and "aggression" after clashing with police as furious fans shouting "Death to the Islamic Republic" tore down street decorations put up to welcome Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was to visit to the city the following day.

Hooliganism in the People's Republic of China

The crime of hooliganism was abolished in China in 1997 with reform of criminal law and was replaced by "disrupting public orders", "causing mass anger", "vandalism", "destruction of public or private property" and other, all punished by prison or death. (China is a widespread user of capital punishment.) On October 16, 1997 one person was sentenced to death for "stirring up fights and causing trouble". However, in 1998 hooliganism was reintroduced for "Strike Hard". On May 5 (1998) one was sentenced to death for "using condemned mob for committing hooliganism". On July 31 there was a death sentences for "corruption, hooliganism and embezzlement". On November 25, one person was sentenced to death for the alleged crime of "hooliganism". In 2000, there was an execution for "hooliganism and rape". Specified laws on football hooliganism were enacted only in 2005. According to this law, without a formal trial, police can arrest "incomprehensible" suspects, and detaine them for twenty days, impose fines of between 2,000 to 5,000 renminbi and prevent suspects from going to any stadia for up to one year. If tried in court, football hooligans may be executed.

Hooliganism in Argentina and Brazil

Hooliganism in South America is partially different to the one in Europe. Most of the times it is related to football, but many times varies with other sports, such as rugby and basketball. For many fans football is a way of life, rather than a sport. The hinchas (fans) take popular songs, change the lyrics and write their own lyrics based on the team they support. The songs are usually creative and worship the selected team. In most stadiums in South America there is a section behind the goals which has no seats, just stair steps(or terraces). Most hooligans and fans bring flags, fire works, and small pieces of paper they throw when their team comes out to the field. In most derbies, especially El Superclasico (River Plate v. Boca Juniors), there is a unique atmosphere which makes every game a colorful event. However, many times when teams lose decisive matches the fans get violent and fight the police and even their own fellows.

Hooliganism in North America

Although some like to think of hooliganism as a mainly European problem, there have been many instances of sports-related violence in North America as well. Interestingly, sports violence in North America does not seem to take the same team-based, "us vs. them" tone as in other parts of the world, but is more frequently a breakdown of order following a particularly important victory or galling defeat.

Some of the more famous examples of fan violence include:

See also

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From Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia. Original article here. Support Wikipedia by contributing or donating.
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