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freedomfreedom forfor thethe terracesterraces 20122012 33 COUNTRIES | 12 QUESTIONS Publisher: ProFans Sandra Schwedler Postfach 028863 10131 Berlin [email protected] www.profans.de A project of ProFans in collaboration with FREEDOM FOR THE TERRACES When World Cup 2006 took place in Germany we organized an exhibition called „Freedom for the terraces – a glance behind the glea- ming surface of the World Cup“ in Hamburg. Despite the seemingly glossy and festive nature of World Cup 2006, we wanted to show the negative impacts this event had on our lives as football fans: higher ticket prices, partly (or completely) seated stadia, an increase of stadium bans, football fans being increasingly treated like terrorists, etc. One part of the exhibition was an „international comparison“. Back then we asked fans / ultras, social workers or supporters’ organisations from ten different countries to answer five questions (about stadium bans, policing, fans‘ paraphernalia / materials …). In Summer 2008, the foundation meeting of Football Supporters Europe took place in London. At its fans’ market place we presented this part of the exhibition and this was the first step of the new project. We’ve met great guys and girls from across Europe and so we were and are able to let the exhibition grow. Originally, it all started as a project of St. Pauli fans in 2006. We now work under the name ProFans – in association with FSE. ProFans is one of three national supporters organisations in Germany. We are unified in the fight for supporter’s rights. Once a year, we work out an update and present the result at the yearly FSE congress. Furthermore we’ve tried to get this exhibition shown in other cities around Europe (but mostly in Germany). The FSE Committee supports us – amongst many other things – with contacts to fans from several countries who are happy to share their experiences with us for this project. We’re really grateful for this collaboration. And we’re deeply grateful for a lot of information and all kinds of help provided by football supporters from all round the world. Nowadays the “international comparison” includes 33 countries and twelve questions. We’re gathering more and more data and we’ve recognized that you guys and girls are really interested in reading this. We’ve realised that showing our work during one or two days of a congress or even doing a separate exhibition is not meeting the interest in our project anymore. As a consequence, we’ve produced a PDF version of the exhibition this summer, so that we are able to share this project more easily all over the world – and with you! :-) Of course, all answers to the questions presented are subjective and represent individual viewpoints. Also, we might have missed some important facts. So, we would really appreciate if you want to correct or complete the project with your experiences from your countries’ situation yourself (especially if your country is still missing). Please don’t hesitate to contact us and send an e-mail to [email protected]! And now enjoy! Tanja & Sandra ProFans, July 2012 – 1 – FOOTBALL IS PASSION … … football is history and football is tradition: football is life. The unique perception of fans all around the world regarding the peculiar aspects of the modernization of a sport that moves so much in terms of economy, culture, politics and passion is a great asset for the organization of demands that are shared throughout the world. Football fans are countless in numbers, in an era of interconnection it is the only acceptable movement for football fans to unify their chants from terraces all around the world and work for the common cause of bringing back some of the things that made football the experience that it is. Historically, football is also transgression. When the people from Catalunya held dearly on to the identity of the province against the strict policies from Primo de Rivera and Franco, Barcelona FC was one of the channels that made possible for the feeling to be kept very much alive with banners and the right amount of pride and anger. More recently, the role played by the ultras in Egypt during the Arab Spring was of great importance, bringing the organization from the terraces to Tahrir Square. It is also true that the sport and the fans were many times used as political instruments in times of conflict and instability, but this also goes to show that this great mass could organize under its own demands. A project like “Freedom for the Terraces” is a great opportunity to evaluate the bigger picture and what we must stand for. There is plenty of room for international cooperation and we have the means to communicate, exchange experiences and aid. If fans in Europe face political oppression, or fans in Latin America are brutalized by the police, fans worldwide can manifest their discordance and support through social media, on the terraces or through the many tools we are provided for communication. Most of the problems we face are very well organized. We face the lobby from the Television Networks shifting dates and times at their will, we face skyrocketing ticket prices and with all that we face the rise of a football for the elites, one where there’s no room for standing and pushing forward your team and no room for pressure on the top hats that are on the game for profit. They want a modern football, we must keep passions alive. Even though we are millions, we will only be strong if we act as one. That is why we must praise such an initiative as “Freedom for the Terraces” and we must have others. Let us put our voices together and stand for what we believe and love. Igor / Brazil, July 2012 – 2 – ARGENTINA s ► Capital: Buenos Aires ► Language: Spanish ► No. of inhabitants: 40.1 million ► No. of first first league teams: 20 ► Part since: 2008 ► Last Update: 2012 Which restrictions do fans face when they want to get their ma- Give us three typical examples of police conduct towards fans 1. terial (scarves, flags, etc.) into the stadiums? Are home fans and 3. (e. g. police escort at away games). away fans treated differently? If so, in what way? First of all, we should mention that the organised supporters’ In Argentina, there seem to be as many rules as security chiefs. groups (usually known as “barras bravas”) are escorted by the poli- Each security chief moulds the rules, which is why different criteria ce when they travel to away games. These restrictions tend to crea- prevail. For instance, at some stadiums in the district of Buenos te lots of problems: sometimes they guide the visitors to the local Aires, it is forbidden to enter with banners that are longer than two entrance by mistake or produce fights between the police and the meters. At other stadiums of the same area, all kinds of banners, groups they have in custody. Secondly, the local supporters have even drums and other forms of percussion are allowed. Arbitra- to wait in the stadiums for 15 or 20 minutes after the match has riness is also obvious: local fans are often given permission that finished. This police strategy often remains incomprehensible and visitors never obtain. therefore generates inconveniences among the local supporters. Sometimes local supporters avoid this policy due to the negligence Every district has its own rules because every province (each of or indolence of the police – which produces confrontations. Thirdly, Argentina’s 23 states) is autonomous, so the criteria are not unified. police have developed different measures to filter out intoxicated The arbitrariness is absolute in terms of decisions and, in general, fans or those with pending proceedings from entering the stadiums. clubs have agreements or “friendship” with the local police. Another Police established varied methods to measure the level of alcohol important thing is that up to the current season in the second and and can register offenders by fingerprints. None of those measures third divisions, away fans were not allowed into stadiums during has been very effective: only a few people can be checked because matches. This was changed only because River Plate (the biggest such devices cause delays. In general, their effectiveness in redu- football team in Argentina) was demoted to the second division. cing violence in sport is questionable. Then, there’s the issue of the law that prohibits fans from showing The delays are actually an excuse given by the Ministry of Security. flags or banners with racist slogans and wearing clothes or showing There are no real reasons for not updating the system. the colours of the rival team. Also, a lot of “barras bravas” keep their flags in the club in spaces provided by the club managers Do the organized fans (ultras) form a network with fans of other themselves. As to the purchase of flags or scarves, there’s normally clubs and how does that work? Which functions and objectives a stand near the stadium on match days or in the club or on the 4. do their alliances have? Internet. The problem is when people want to install big flags in stadiums during matches: they always need the authorisation from The organised fan groups, the “barras bravas”, do not have a formal the hooligans. relationship with each other. They are focused on a constant fight for symbolic supremacy. Who has the biggest group, who has the Are stadium bans imposed in your country and / or do you have a best singing group, who can mobilise more fans for away games, 2.

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