They call it the beautiful game. But there’s rather an ugly side to it. A side that is becoming
more and more prominent on the terraces. Addiction.
Alcohol and drugs have been seeping further into the game for some time now, with more
anti-social behaviour at matches, and more instances of domestic abuse after a bad result.
It’s a toxic relationship and one that is truly blighting the sport. Not that it’s really being talked
about.
Of course, it must first be said that what goes on in football is always a reflection of society
as a whole. It just seems to be more emphasised or prominent, whether that be racial abuse,
drug taking, sexism or homophobia. That isn’t the sport, but perhaps the terraces feels like a
place where it’s ok to display such abhorrent behaviour. Which, of course, is not ok.
It’s the culture around football though, historically, that has made it feel like it’s “ok”. And
that’s the same for alcohol and drug abuse too. It’s just a “day out with the lads”. But that day
out with the lads can end up with a firework stuck up someone’s bottom, as we saw prior to
the Euro 2020 Final. The Sun, and many other outlets, reported that the person had drunk
20 ciders and snorted coke. Which is not a healthy relationship, and the resulting behaviour
is telling.
But that’s an extreme, but it is happening every weekend up and down the country in Britain.
Trains packed with fans downing their fourth can at 10am. For the most part they will behave
and have a good time, but the normalisation of it is not doing their health any good.
Alcohol addiction is rising hugely in the UK. That’s the case outside of football too. But
elsewhere it’s not treated as “banter” or providing some sort of “legendary” status for passing
out due to a 15th cider an hour before kick-off. It’s treated as problematic. Which is exactly
what it is, and more and more football fans, particularly younger football fans do, or are
going to, need alcohol help.
But how does that change?
Well, that’s a tricky one. Football clubs can’t control what fans do outside of the ground.
They could prevent drunken fans from going through the turnstiles, which could eventually
see people tame their drinking prior to kick-off. But initially would that cause more
aggravation and require much higher levels of stewarding, particularly at lower levels of the
game.
Ultimately, it’s going to be education, and that responsibility lies with everyone. Clubs could
do more to educate with initiatives, while as a society more needs to be done to raise
awareness about the dangers of alcohol and drug abuse. It’s killing more and more people in
society, and ultimately in 10, 15, 20 years, the people that stood, sang and shouted on the
terraces as friends will be dropping off one-by-one, which you wouldn’t want for even your
closest rivals!
