Violence and abuse amongst fan culture growing concern for soccer

Soccer players are concerned for their physical safety due to a fan culture seen as increasingly more violent and abusive, according to new UCD research. The first of its kind, the report ' The Impact of Violence Towards Footballers in Their Workplace ' by FIFPRO, the global players' union shows the stress players are being put under by their own supporters after a rise in physical and verbal attacks post the COVID-19 pandemic. According to the survey of 41 national players' unions, 76% said workplace safety and health was of growing concern to players - with 66% of male respondents saying fan culture had become more violent and abusive in recent years. This was reflected in women's soccer too were 34% of unions indicated growing instances of violence and verbal abuse on match day. Despite the growing safety concerns, 85% of respondents agreed with the statement that "in most instances the relationship between fans and players is very positive and should be cherished". "We are seeing a growth in the number of incidents of disorder in European football, at all levels of the professional game," said lead author Dr Joel Rookwood , from the UCD School of Public Health, Physiotherapy and Sports Science. "The expansion of European competitions has provided additional opportunities for problematic fan conduct to compromise player safety and welfare, particularly in the men's game." The report found that abuse can have serious repercussions with almost 90% of unions saying the threat of violence had impacted on the performance by players and contributing to mental health issues such as depression.