Euro 16 - they should ban the countries involved in fighting

[Sherlocked1606]

Having watched the news the past few nights it's seems clear some fans have just gone to France to cause trouble.

Yes the English fans were attacked/provocted today however they were very much the instigators yesterday.

Surely Russian, France and England football teams should be disqualified from the tournament. Same goes for any other teams who's fans cause trouble.

At least 1 England fan is seriously injured potential life threatening. I've seen footage of Russian fans stamping on English fans, throwing chairs. Water cannons, tear gas. Enough is enough, it's only football.

[derxa]

I give you Martin Johnson.
February 1999 Johnson is shown the yellow card after stamping on the throat of Scotland's centre John Leslie during a Five Nations match at Twickenham. "It did look ugly but I didn't do it deliberately," says Johnson, but TV replays give the incident immediate notoriety

The Scottish sports minister Sam Galbraith describes it as an "absolutely appalling act", and the rules are changed to allow suspensions to be handed out after a game if a referee is thought to have dealt with an incident too lightly. It forms part of a run of five cards in as many weeks for club and country

December 2000 Suspended for 35 days for three counts of foul play during a cup quarter-final against Saracens, including a "knee-drop" on Duncan McRae which breaks the player's ribs, and a punch on Julian White. "We aren't saints ourselves and things do happen in the heat of the moment," says the Saracens chief executive François Pienaar, "but this definitely wasn't the heat of the moment."

[OrangesandLemonsNow]

derxa Not sure what your point is?

[petitpois55]

So what Derxa ??

[derxa]

People trying to say that everyone involved in rugby is a saint is the point I'm making.

[OrangesandLemonsNow]

People trying to say that everyone involved in rugby is a saint is the point I'm making.

No one says they are saints.

It is very much however what goes on on the pitch stays on the pitch.

Refs are very much respected. You may not agree with their decision but if they tell you to walk away you do or else risk suspension or cards.

After 'punches' on the field at the end of the match the players all shake hands.

Fans mix together with on the stands quite happily.

Fans travel abroad and mix before and after games with no trouble.

Players mix in each others dressing rooms after matches.

[derxa]

I agree with you Oranges but whenever there is a discussion about problems in football someone always says how utterly wonderful rugby (Union) is. The interest and involvement in football in Europe compared to that in Rugby Union is on a whole different level. You may as well compare the way people behave in and around men's hockey matches.

[LittleLionMansMummy]

You seem to keep making the same points over and over petit. I don't see any defence of thuggery on this thread and if by 'minimising' you're referring to the usual course of adult discussion during which people put forward different views and theories on causes, possible motivation, history, psychology, politics, methods and tactics of tackling it and trying to work out what is actually going on and why, then yes that's how constructive debate usually goes or else nothing would ever get resolved. Simply saying 'English fans are shit aren't they?' repeatedly, while offering little else of value, doesn't really move the conversation forward.

derxa you've cited one very high profile case and nobody, least of all me, was suggesting rugby is full of 'saints'. I love football and in fact know comparatively little about rugby. But it does strike me, on the whole, as a more professional, courteous and family friendly game. It is interesting that football attracts more off the pitch violence whereas rugby doesn't. I'm asking if there is anyone with any knowledge or theories on why this might be the case.

[ChatterNatterer]

The English fans were winding up the French police trying to wind up the Irish and Welsh fans who didn't bite once! IRA chants outside a pub where Irish famlies were enjoying a meal and mixing with lots of other fans happily.
My friend (english by the way) witnessed three occasions when these Thugs were chanting Fuck Europe, We're leaving anyway..
They are absolute scum, and i'm astonished at the minimising on this thread. You really are living in Cloud Cuckoo land, if you think the Russians were picking on the poor English fans.
The Russian fans are in a league of their own for violence and thuggery. As i said earlier, the English fans have met their match at least and are whining like babies.
This! Most of them just want a ruck - I can't stand football and the culture it promotes, both by the overpaid over sexed players and their wives and the general thuggery from some fans too!

[WaspsandBeesSting]

An article by John McTernan a Labour Party advisor (I think that is his title. Not sure if he still is) on his sons experience and his two friends being kicked unconscious by Russian 'ultras'.

www.prospectmagazine.co.uk/life/attacked-in-marseille-euro-2016-england-russia-fans-supporters-violence

[LittleLionMansMummy]

the English fans have met their match at least and are whining like babies. Yes I can just imagine you saying that to the family of the English man currently still in a coma after being battered repeatedly with an iron bar. Quite frankly gloating 'that the English have met their match' in these circumstances puts you on just about the same level as the dick heads chanting about the IRA. No excuse for either.

[OhYouBadBadKitten]

horrific wasps :(

[WaspsandBeesSting]

It is isn't it kitten

[NeckguardUnbespoke]

It is interesting that football attracts more off the pitch violence whereas rugby doesn't. I'm asking if there is anyone with any knowledge or theories on why this might be the case.

Because rugby is a middle-class sport followed by people for whom a conviction for violence would be career ending and social poison.

[OrangesandLemonsNow]

Because rugby is a middle-class sport followed by people for whom a conviction for violence would be career ending and social poison.

Whilst that may have been the case in the past (although not as much as some would like to make out) the 'middle class' label isn't really the case anymore.

[MitzyLeFrouf]

Rugby league is traditionally a working class sport isn't it?

[OrangesandLemonsNow]

Rugby league is traditionally a working class sport isn't it?

Yes.

[derxa]

www.telegraph.co.uk/men/thinking-man/11439504/10-reasons-why-being-a-rugby-supporter-is-better-than-being-a-football-supporter.html
Here's a light hearted article about it.

[NaughtToThreeSadOnions]

Sorry dexra as I'm the only person to mention rugby where do I say all rugby players are saints or how utterly wonderful RU is? Chip on shoulder much?!

I mearly suggested that respect for officials wouldn't go a miss in association football! And it wouldn't! And why do you think that rule was inteoduced in to rugby - oh yes because they had a dissent problem so they introduced a rule to handle it!

[derxa]

Chip on shoulder much?! I come from rugby playing country so I don't think your assertion applies. We're sport mad in this house and watch rugby, football tennis basketball....

[derxa]

Well if the game I'm watching continues as it is Russia will be on their way home anyway.

[MitzyLeFrouf]

0-2 to Slovakia so far! The Russians won't be best pleased.

[runslikethewind]

I don't think you can ban the thugs, efforts can be made, yes, but you will only be scratching the surface with people like this. What ever you put in place to stop these thugs they will find another way to ruin football for the masses. The easiest and most straight forward option, blanket ban on all fans, but then what will stop them from kicking off while watching at home. A previous job showed me this when people watch in pubs and the team loses domestics etc go through the roof.
Ban all fans at least we keep the thugs at home and don't impose them on the hosts.
I just feel for the true fans who go to the matches home or abroad with family and friends for the fun of supporting their team, but when the violence attracts this level of attention and outrage what else can you do?

[NaughtToThreeSadOnions]

So do I dexra in fact i played rugby for my county under 16 and was a club women's league footballer at 21. So why did you presume I was saying rugby was wonderful and rugby players were saints then!

[LittleLionMansMummy]

Mitzy they've set off a flair too. BBC commentator asked how they're getting these potentially very dangerous items into the ground.

[derxa]

I'm hoping Slovakia can hold on