It is no surprise that on the eve of the 2012 European Championships many media sources are casting doubt about the safety of fans travelling to the host nations of Ukraine and Poland. But just how safe will our travelling England fans be and should they truly be concerned about the safety hype created by the media?
The images on TV screens, newspapers and internet sites over the past few weeks and months have highlighted the violence, racism and extreme right wing traits held by a minority of football ‘fans’ based in Ukraine & Poland. The advice from some media outlets is for England fans not to travel to the Championships under any circumstances.
There is no denying that unfortunately violence and racism still exist in modern day football, especially in some of the less developed nations of the world. But in truth can having faith in these nations by giving them a chance actually help improve the nation’s football culture over the long term?
Undoubtedly the safety of fans and players should not be put at risk, and if the concerns about safety had become so severe then there is no doubt that the honour of hosting the tournament would have been stripped from Ukraine & Poland. However UEFA has faith in the host nations and perhaps so should we.
The last World Cup in South Africa is a brilliant example of a country successfully hosting a major tournament against the odds. I was lucky enough to travel to South Africa and was only too aware of the media hype before the tournament about safety doubts. Don’t carry any valuables, don’t go out at night and certainly do not stop your car at traffic lights were the sensationalist claims of many newspapers.
What actually resulted was a peaceful successful tournament with no major problems. I can certainly vouch that it was safe to do all of the above things, as long as you applied the common sense required to stay safe. The police and safety officials were brilliant, and whilst violent crime is a huge problem in South Africa, as much as racism and violence may be in Ukraine, the vast majority of fans had the times of their lives. This is likely to be the case in Ukraine & Poland. Our fans will be safe if they apply common sense and heed any advice given by officials.
UEFA will not risk this tournament turning into a disaster. Similarly to South Africa there will be a huge police presence be out in force with strict instructions to crack down on all violence and racism. The vast majority of the public in Ukraine & Poland will pull together and embrace the competition and the visiting fans. A minority of thugs will not be able to overcome this footballing passion.
And the result of all this will be that Ukraine & Poland learn from the experience and hopefully improve their own game at home, both on and off the field. The travelling fans should be an inspiration and example to the countries, and the financial benefits from hosting the tournament can be plunged back into football. South Africa’s reputation has greatly improved based on their successful World Cup, which is huge boost to a country with such a notorious past. Ukraine & Poland deserve their opportunity to do the same.
Follow me on Twitter @FreelanceRob
Introducing the neat little app that’ll pay you to view content tailored to your interests:
ThisisFutbol.com are seeking new writers to join the team! If you’re passionate about football, drop us a line at “thisisfutbol.com@snack-media.com” to learn more.