Balkan Football Hooliganism Linked to Politics, Organised Crime – Report

Hardcore fans of Serbia’s Partizan club celebrate their team’s victtory at the Belgrade Partizan stadium in May 2017. Photo: BIRN

Football hooliganism is closely linked to politics, nationalism, violence and organized crime in the Western Balkans, a report says, with the highest links noted in Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina.

The report, by the Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime, analyzed 122 football fan groups in the Western Balkans, identifying 78 hardcore ultra fans and 21 groups that engage in football hooliganism “and also have links to politics and/or organized crime”.

“In establishing links between the ultras and organized crime in the WB6, the report examines why young people – predominantly men – join such groups,” the report reads.

The report differentiates between ultras as “groups of hard core football fans affiliated to a particular team” and mere football hooligans “who engage in violence within the football milieu”.

Groups in Serbia are of most concern, according to the report, due to the larger quantity and range of incidents, followed by Bosnia and Herzegovina. The situation in the rest of the Western Balkan countries is less bad.

The report cites one Serbian Partizan club fan explaining “some youngsters join ultras groups in the belief that membership is an opportunity to earn easy money selling drugs”, adding that a youngster selling drugs might be provided with a scooter to “keep as a courier”.

“For criminals embedded in ultras groups, teenagers are useful because they can sell drugs in cooperation with friends, they are eager to prove themselves and they are easy to manipulate,” the report says, explaining also that, “as minors, they are treated more leniently by the legal justice system when they are caught”.

By demonstrating loyalty, the youngsters might then be engaged in “selling harder drugs; providing security at team events, political rallies or night clubs; couriering messages; and racketeering”, making more money. They might “possibly start their own business and even earn protection from prosecution”.

“The family of a loyal foot soldier may receive financial help from the ultras group if they get into trouble with the law,” it notes.

To become an ultra, youngsters often have to show they are ready to commit violence. For example, “to become a member of the notorious United Force ultra, in Belgrade, it is customary to stab someone with a knife”.

In order to be a Principi ultra, “one of the most ruthless criminal hooligan groups in Serbia”, a member must make another person bleed. This is to build “trust within the group”.

The report recommends local, regional and international stakeholders to tackle hooliganism by focusing on its connection to organised crime.

Governments should “strengthen educational, social and cultural measures to prevent hooliganism,” and work with countries that have had problems with hooliganism such as the United Kingdom, Italy and the Netherlands.

It recommends police investigate potential football hooligans via media reports and social media engagement, as these groups use social media platforms to communicate their activities. The report recommends better training for law enforcement to tackle hooligan violence and to avoid plea deals unless there is “low risk of the perpetrator repeating the same or a different criminal offence”.

Footbal clubs should not tolerate racist oer nationalist speech in the stadium by considering UEFA’s 10-point plan on combating racism in football, as well as promoting “fair competition and ethics”. Businesses selling football merchandise can also assist by being distanced by hooligan groups.

Civil society should increase awareness by working directly with youngsters that may be vulnerable to hooliganism as well as with football clubs and fan groups. Media should differentiate between ultras and hooligans when reporting.