Liverpool European Cup 1985:
On 29th May 1985, at Haysel, Belgium, the European Cup finals was to be held between Juventus and Liverpool. In the early hours before the match, the crowd began filling in and were occupying their respective stands – assigned for Liverpool fans, Juventus fans and a neutral zone filled mostly by local Italians supporting Juventus. Bad mouthing started between both sets of supporters and approximately at 7 pm, objects were thrown at each other and the Liverpool fans broke the fence between the stands and charged into the zone. The Italian fans began to retreat but were blocked by a wall. This led to a stampede and eventually the wall collapsed. Italian fans from other sections retaliated, but the Brussels police came in to control the crowd and the match was played with much dislike by the players. However, the incident left 39 dead and 600 injured. No Liverpool fans died and English teams were banned from European tournaments for 5 years and 3 additional years for Liverpool as a result.
Mohun Bagan Kolkata Derby:
In the last Kolkata derby, December 2012, between Mohun Bagan and East Bengal, when a player from the former club was red carded, the crowd got violent and threw stones on the field. Incidentally, it hit one of their own players who got injured. Due to security concerns, the team refused to play the second half and was consequently banned from the I-League for 2 years. This ban was later lifted and a Rs. 2 crore fine was imposed on the club.
These incidents open our eyes to the responsibility we carry as fans. The game of football has always been known to be enjoyed with utmost sporting spirit by players and fans alike. We must all strive to uphold the traditions of this ancient game. The consequences of our actions will always have an effect on others.
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