The number of incidents that took place in Dutch professional football last season has decreased. That signals the KNVB in a new report on Wednesday. While the police registered 893 incidents in 2021/22, there were still 725 in 2022/23.
“We are not yet where we want to be, because the number of incidents is still well above the number before corona, but these figures show that we are getting a better grip on the problem,” said Marianne van Leeuwen, director of professional football at the KNVB. . The use of new technology and additional staff has increased the chance of being caught in the event of disorderly behavior, the football association says.
In total, a preliminary investigation into disorder was conducted ten times less often: 169 times. That is more than double than for the last season that was completed completely before the corona pandemic (2018/19). The figures do not include European football. Things went wrong last season when fights broke out during AZ – West Ham United after hooligans from the home team stormed the main stand. Similar scenes were witnessed this season at the Conference League qualifier FC Twente – Hammerby.
The Public Prosecution Service received 422 reports from the police in which football supporters were suspected of a crime. That was up from 640 a season earlier.
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Fewer stadium bans, stricter rules
The number of stadium bans imposed by the KNVB itself also decreased, from 1,258 to 986. This happened in 242 cases due to throwing objects towards the field. Because this got out of hand, it was decided on April 6 to temporarily stop matches when supporters threw things at the football field. If a player or referee is hit, the match is even permanently stopped.
The KNVB considers the tightened measures a success. “There has been a lot less throwing since then, with the result that no more people have been injured on the field,” the football association writes. “The perpetrators were caught in almost all cases and received a national stadium ban of 9 to 36 months.” To prevent objects from being thrown, several professional clubs have had nets hung in their stadiums.