Football clubs to crack down on misconduct in 2019/20 season
- Published
Incidents involving pyrotechnics have shown the most alarming increase between seasons
Football fans have been warned that unacceptable conduct inside grounds will not be tolerated next season.
Clubs and police have promised a crackdown following a rise in incidents during the last campaign.
Players and officials were targeted by coins, missiles and fireworks were thrown onto the pitch and sectarian chanting was reported.
BBC Scotland has learned that a number of clubs have upgraded CCTV and increased security as a result.
Other clubs have stepped up fan engagement around the issue of unacceptable conduct and launched initiatives to promote inclusion and tolerance.
Last season Police Scotland recorded offensive/sectarian singing at 84 matches , compared with 75 incidents the previous season
Incidents involving pyrotechnics showed the most alarming increase. Smoke bombs or flares were set off at 81 matches last season, compared to 42 the season before.
Polce have previously warned it is only a "matter of time" before someone is killed by a pyrotechnic at a football match
"They put people in danger," said Assistant Chief Constable Bernard Higgins.
"Somebody could be seriously injured or killed if a pyro lands near them.
"It's the same with smoke bombs - if smoke bombs engulf an area in the stadium, that can cause breathing difficulties for people or panic that could lead to crushing."
In a bid to combat the problem, clubs like Hibernian and Hamilton Academical will deploy specialist sniffer dogs outside their grounds in the season ahead.
They know it is a difficult balancing act between maintaining the safety of supporters and appearing too heavy-handed.
'Small minority'
One of most highlighted issues last season was coins and missiles being thrown onto the pitch.
Players, managers and officials were all targeted at various matches, leading to the players' union to call for urgent action from the governing bodies.
Linesman Calum Spence suffered a wound to his head after a coin was thrown during a match between Livingston and Rangers in 2018
Hearts captain Christophe Berra believes things need to change.
"It was highlighted a lot last season, for the right reasons obviously - it's not good enough," he said.
"There's people's health and safety at risk but I think clubs are working with the police and hopefully we can sort it out.
"We've got to remember there are tens of thousands of fans go to games and it's the small minority who are painting the game in a bad light."
The problem of sectarian chanting was also on the rise last year but clubs like Rangers have been proactive with a recent high-profile campaign to push and promote inclusion at Ibrox.
There is also a feeling that fans are more likely to self-police.
"The tolerance levels of people attending football is much lower now," said Assistant Chief Constable Higgins.
"It's not unusual for fans to be pointing out to stewards or police officers, people who they think are behaving in an unacceptable manner."
Football sanctions
Clubs have resisted an approach known as strict liability which would make them accountable for the negative actions of fans.
The SPFL has also refused to release its own data on unacceptable behaviour which could give a broader picture of the scale of the problem.
BBC Scotland asked the SPFL for an interview on the matter but the league body refused.
The Scottish government has seen the figures but is unable to publish them due to a secrecy agreement it signed with the SPFL.
Justice Secretary Humza Yousaf was urged to make the data public earlier this year.
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