Okay, something happened. Greece scored an extraordinary 60-metre goal, finally turned around a run of horrible form, and Australia showed great character to come back and nearly grab a draw in an exciting, open game featuring lots of young talent captained by returning star Tim Cahill.
But as far as the off-field stuff goes, nothing happened. Nothing.
You can tell nothing happened because television news is talking about it on every bulletin, newspapers are running stories across several pages, the Acting Assistant Police Commissioner has been really, jolly upset in interviews, the FFA has issued a press release reiterating their “firm position”, the Victorian Sports Minister is “disappointed”, there are thousands of people boiling their piss on social media about it, and the Premier of Victoria has been live on Triple M radio to condemn it: “It’s unacceptable in Melbourne and we are having none of it.”
A quick recap in case you missed it: Mad soccer thugs went nuts, smashing up the city of Melbourne, setting fire to everything, then the tribe marched to Etihad Stadium where their riotous actions continued inside the stadium, risking our children’s lives, leading to arrests, five-year banning orders, and making us question why this constantly violent sport is permitted in this country.
Alternatively: nobody was arrested. Nobody suffered even minor injuries. No children were anywhere near any danger. Nobody present has pressed any charges. No formal complaints have been made. I repeat, no arrests have been made.
Nothing. Happened.
Last night, Victorian police did a good job of marshalling and stewarding passionate supporters of both sides who moved around the city just as sports fans do in Melbourne and around the world every week. Inside the stadium, five dickheads were asked to leave (a not unusual occurrence at sporting events). Flares were let off by people used to doing so, away from the public and absolutely away from children. If this was danger, then we better cancel the New Year’s Eve firework display.
In fact, there were so few flares released during the entire evening that The Age newspaper was able to count them almost to the number: Between “more than two dozen” and “up to thirty” according to their report. This over the five hours between fans meeting and the game ending.
You can take my word for it or look for comments from people who were actually there. All report feeling totally safe, happy with a good atmosphere, and one Facebook user this morning even said they saw the police Snapchatting the scenes.
Far more offensive and dangerous, I felt, was the patronizing display of “traditional Greek dancing” on display outside the Etihad Stadium before the match. Dozens of people linked arms, wearing stereotypical costumes, bouncing around and kicking their legs in an act that could – now I come to think of it – quite easily have smashed baby Brad’s nose to pieces, given tiny wee Josephine attending her first soccer match a nasty bruise, or had poor little Timmy’s eye out.
We can only hope our children were sheltered from such savage barbarism and condescension of a rich heritage and culture. Yet, this act went on unpoliced and in full public view.
Soccer has passionate fans. They can also appear intimidating because they move in groups, they chant, and they posture, sometimes aggressively, at their rivals. But it is only posturing. Apart from an absolutely tiny minority – far smaller than a cross-section of the general public – they know how to behave. And they don’t want their actions to spoil anyone else’s enjoyment of the match. Quite the opposite.
Aggressive policing of sports fans doesn’t work. Politicians treating soccer fans like scum doesn’t work. Europe has taught us this. Treating them with a bit of respect and embracing the colour and spectacle adds to the game’s theatre and overall fan enjoyment for young and old. Calling people “deplorable”, “a real risk”, “reckless”, “anti-social”, and saying things like “we do not want these people at football matches in Australia” (thanks, Mr Premier) does not come under this description.
The rhetoric of “these people” is getting dangerously close to Donald Trump-esque language. We’re better than that.
Soccer fans walk among us. They are our friends and our family. They aren’t “thugs”. They aren’t “hooligans”. But if you keep calling a group of people those ridiculous things, you can’t be surprised if and when they start acting that way.
Matt Bellotti is the Digital Content Director – Triple M @ The Greenfield Post This story was originally published here www.thegreenfieldpost.com.au