Colombia's football fan violence fuels debate

The football derby matches between Atletico Nacional and Independiente have electrified the Colombian metropolis of Medellin for decades. Emotions always run high when the local teams face off. Sometimes too high, as seen in late April, when violence broke out inside and outside the stadium. 

It was the latest in a series of recent clashes between fans of the rival clubs. At the end of a bloody day, the police statistics recorded two lives lost and at least 14 injured. It's a problem not just in Medellin, but in other Latin American cities too, where violent football fan groups have enough power to put pressure on the clubs.

Debate about violence in football

As a result, a debate has erupted in Colombia about how to tackle violence inside and outside stadiums. This problem is not exclusive to Medellin or even Colombia, but given its history, the rest of the world watches closely when blood is spilled in the Antioquia province.

That's due to the murder of national team player Andres Escobar, who was shot dead in 1994 after returning to his hometown, having scored an own goal in Colombia's World Cup match against the hosts, the United States.

Since then, Medellin has had the stigma of being one of the most dangerous football cities in the world. At the same time, the city has also been recognized for its dynamic rise as one of the most exciting economic locations in South America.

Football a venue for social problems

"It's a problem of society that spills over into football, because society in a way permeates football," said Mauricio Navarro, club president of Atletico Nacional, one of Latin America's most popular clubs. 

Speaking with DW, Navarro compared the latest clashes with political protests of recent years when the so-called "Primera Linea" took to the country's streets.

"You saw then a similar violence that we saw in football, also in the streets," he said.

Club vice president Benjamin Romero believes a deeply rooted intolerance has led to life having little value.

"On the street, someone is killed because their cellphone is stolen. If we apply this to football, in the street someone is killed because they're wearing an opposing team's jersey. It's a completely absurd situation," he said.

Need for 'consequence for violent acts'

Both Atletico Nacional and Independiente are calling on politicians and the government to take a tougher stance in dealing with the perpetrators.

They say it's necessary for the government to enforce the laws and for sentences to be carried out "so that there really is a consequence for violent acts in these scenarios, not only at football matches, but in all areas of social coexistence," Independiente spokeswoman Paula Andrea Gonzalez told DW.

She added it was not acceptable for a few to destroy the overall experience of predominantly peaceful fans.

"The only way to put an end to this is prison. Prison for criminals and for those who are violent in football," said Atletico's Romero.

Clubs also have a duty to set an example

Both clubs point to their social activities and the dialog they conduct with the fan clubs and the ultras. But there is also room for improvement, admitted Gonzalez, referring to the behavior of players on the pitch.

"The club still has to bridge a gap between what happens at home, in their personal lives and their development in terms of personality," she said.

It is important, she added, during the 90 minutes of a match not to give in to provocations.

"This is an issue that we can work on culturally with the teams and with the players," she said.

The clubs themselves say they have a huge interest in seeing the situation improve, as violence in and around the stadium has a negative economic impact.

"There is a fear of going to the stadium, plus our stadiums are not as comfortable as those in the US or Europe," Navarro admitted. 

"We need to get back to how it was 30 years ago or earlier," Romero said. Back then, he said, there were no violent fan groups. It was mainly families who came to the stadiums, and the atmosphere was much more peaceful and harmonious. 

This article was originally published in German