The problem of fan violence in the world of athletics can be traced all the way back to the Roman Times and the Colosseum.  A bad call here, a horrible result there resulting in fans throwing beer, taking the field in outrage or even going after one another.

The earliest recording of this was during the Roman Empire era in which fans of particular chariot team resulted in these types of riots.  It is also pointed to the fact that, during this time, of a combination of political and theological issues that help push these riots to the breaking point.

The first “dated” fan violence could be pointed to the Nika Riots of 532 that killed tens of thousands of people, (roughly 30,000), over in Constantinople over the issue of chariot racing.  The featured the rivilary of supporters for the Blue and Green chariot teams that reached a breaking point.

In today’s world, in 2011, this fan violence continues.  In this year alone we’ve seen such hositiality towards fans.  Here are some examples of it below:

January 12, 2001, Greece- A meeting between the Panathinaikos and the Olympiacos, in which the Olympiacos won 65-61, saw a riot rage when the Green fans attacked Red fans.  A similar outburst occured on June 6th, 2010 in which cause the Olympiacos to play their first nine home games of the 2010-2011 season behind closed doors as well as pay an 111,000 euro fine (about $159,695.70 in American Dollars)

April 5, 2011, LA, California – Bryan Stow, a avid Giants fan, was beaten by two Dodger fans after the Giants defeated the Dodgers a few minutes earlier in front of his children.  Stow went into a coma and still is recovering where as the two offenders were recently arrested and charged.

June, 2011, Vancouver, British Columbia – Following the Boston Bruins clinching of the Stanley Cup in Vancouver against the Vancouver Cancuks, Vancouver fans went into a riot following the Game 7 loss to the Bruins that resulted in 140 people injured, one critical.  Nine police officers were injured, four people were stabbed, 101 arrest that night with an additional 16 in the few days following the incident.  The property damage was in the five-million-dollar range.

August 20, 2011; San Francsico, California-  Following the San Francsico 49ers victory over cross-the-bay rival Oakland Raiders, 17-3, gunshots ranged as two people were shot and another was beaten unconscious.  One of them, wearing an “[expletive] the Niners” shirt was shot two to four times in the stomach, leaving the person in critical condition.  Both were about 15 minutes apart and just minutes after the game had ended.  All three men were Raider fans.

Fan violence has slowly became a part of the game itself it seems like.  Every time someone gets a red card or lose a championship bout, people take to the streets as if what they’re doing will change the outcome of the event.

Let me ask this, what ever happen to just enjoying the game, win or lose?

Win or lose, it is just a game.

Sources:

Google Search. “Euros to Dollars Conversion.” August 21, 2011.

“2011 Vancouver Stanley Cup riot.”  Wikipedia. August, 16  2011.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_Vancouver_Stanley_Cup_riot . August 21, 2011.

Gafni, Matthias (August 21, 2011).  “Two shot, One critically, after Niners game vs. Raiders.”  San Jose Mercury News. pp. B1.

“Violence in Sports.  Wikipedia. August 15, 2011. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Violence_in_sports. August 21, 2011.