The Bremen Football Association has responded to several incidents of violence and discrimination on sports fields by generally canceling all games next weekend.
The Bremen Football Association (BFV) has issued a ban on all league, cup and friendly games for the coming weekend (March 8th to 10th) in its jurisdiction from the D-youth level upwards. The BFV board decided this at an extraordinary meeting on Thursday evening.
The association cited the recent high number of incidents on the sports fields as the reason for the general cancellation, so they wanted to send a clear signal against violence, hatred and discrimination in their leagues.
BFV too Violent incidents: “New, sad climax”
Last weekend alone there were several serious incidents that were reported to the association. After a men’s game, a pack formed, during which, among other things, a kick in the head and a knife were pulled out.
According to the BFV, in a C-youth game, three spectators ran onto the field and wanted to attack a player from the visiting team. It was only thanks to the courageous intervention of the home club that an escalation did not occur. In addition, there were discriminatory comments and threats of violence towards the referee during a game between the over-32 seniors. The BFV described the incidents as a “new, sad climax” that they did not want to simply accept.
With this weekend without games, we hope to be able to raise even greater awareness of the issue so that violence and discrimination are not tolerated by anyone in sport, but are clearly excluded.
(BFV President Patrick von Haacke on the board’s decision)
Catch-up dates have not yet been set
The association regretted that the general ban on playing also affected those footballers who would always compete fairly with one another. “But this is exactly what we need to join forces against violence and discrimination,” said BFV President Patrick von Haacke.
The canceled games will be rescheduled at a later point in the season; the exact dates have not yet been determined.
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This topic in the program:
Bremen Eins, Rundschau, March 8, 2024, 7 a.m
