Last Sunday, the police interrupted the Stockholm derby in the top football league after bangers and pyrotechnics were thrown onto the pitch from Djurgården's supporter section.
It's one of several examples where things have gotten really bad, says Anders Hübinette, former federation lawyer for the Swedish Football Association and the one now leading the investigation ordered by the government to reduce violence and disorder at sports events.
Every time something like this happens, it's one time too many.
"Acceptable and normalized"
Hübinette was himself present at Tele2 Arena when the derby was interrupted. He doesn't want to preempt the investigation that will be presented in March next year and how the work ahead on the broader plane to reduce violence and disorder should look like.
Many who are involved in this activity reflect in a similar way: That there's a lot that happens during a football match and in the stands that you wouldn't have accepted in any other context. Or at least reacted strongly to. But which there and then is considered acceptable and normalized.
Hübinette says further that the question of attitude and culture both on and off the pitch is something that "is brought up within the football movement".
Boundary drawing
He doesn't have an automatic and comprehensive solution to the problem. Hübinette mentions entry bans, stricter penalties, and how away supporters are received as part of the work ahead.
If you don't draw the boundaries yourself, someone else will.
Last December, Hübinette was commissioned to lead an investigation that will submit proposals for measures to reduce violence at football matches. The results are to be presented no later than March 31, 2025.
