Michael van Praag argues for a criminal stadium ban in Dutch football. In recent weeks, several matches have been marred by beer throwers and hurtful chants, while players also showed their bad side with several riots. Van Praag, chairman of the UEFA safety committee, thinks that the hooligan problem can only be solved if people act as hard in the Netherlands as in England.
Van Praag would like to see supporters who misbehave during football matches be prosecuted. “It’s the English model,” he added On 1. “If you violate such a ban, you go to prison. No hooligan wants that.” Things like bringing or setting off fireworks, throwing objects, entering the field are a criminal offense in England.
“If you are guilty of this, you will be in court the same day,” explains Van Praag. “Then you run a high risk of getting a criminal record. Nobody wants that. The hooligan needs clarity, give it to him. In England it helped.” The former top executive is also in favor of banning alcohol in stadiums. “’That has happened before, but after a few years that measure was abolished again. That’s how it goes here. You see the consequences. Many people who do strange things in the stadium are under the influence.”
Van Praag also says he is often annoyed by ‘the irritating, affected and provocative behavior’ of players in the field. He also saw things go wrong again during the cup final between Ajax and PSV. “That is very destructive. Clubs have a great responsibility to intervene in this. In the first instance, the trainers should intervene. They don’t, because they themselves are ‘freaking’ with the fourth man. Then everyone shouts that the referee decides how far you can go. That is the wrong approach.”