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THE Premier Soccer League this week fined Highlanders US$6 000 after the domestic football giants were found liable for the violence that marred their game against FC Platinum in April.  

Hooliganism, which is a problem the world over, has threatened to get hold of domestic football, following a series of ugly scenes witnessed in the country’s stadiums in the last two months.

Dynamos were also slapped with a US$4 000 fine last month for the disruptions that marred their win over Bulawayo Chiefs at Barbourfields.

But the trend has been continuing and the Premier Soccer League was recently forced to stop all football activities after barbaric scenes were witnessed during the blockbuster clash between Dynamos and Highlanders at Barbourfields on May 15.

The break was meant to enable club representatives and security personnel to brain-storm on possible solutions to the scourge.

This issue has been talked about before but we have to continue dwelling on it until we all get satisfied that the vice has been eradicated.

Hooliganism and violence at local football matches have left in their wake destruction of property worth several thousands of dollars. Players, officials and fans themselves have been exposed to the danger of getting hurt. It is only a matter of time before lives are lost if this issue is not fully addressed.

No one would want our football to get to that extent. Hooliganism is bad advertisement for our football. It kills the vibe, it drives sponsors away and makes our stadiums unsafe. Mostly, it’s the traditional big teams that experience these challenges.

We have to come to a stage where all the stakeholders are compelled to take responsibility for their actions. Dynamos and Highlanders were fined in the last month and more fines could be coming their way.

But what about the culprits who threw the missiles, tore the nets and uprooted goal posts in the barbaric and shameful acts witnessed at Barbourfields when the two giants of local football locked horns last month?

Was the man who raced all the way onto the pitch and attacked the match official identified? All those hooligans who were caught on camera, what is going to happen to them?

Of course, the Premier Soccer League regulations require clubs to have control over their spectators and clubs should take a serious approach in educating their fans about the downside of this vice.

At the same time, individuals should be identified and held to account for their actions. Photographic and video evidence have to be considered when determining such cases. The Premier Soccer League should find ways which are deterrent enough.

Besides the fines to the institutions, something which has been done for many years but without the desired impact on the problem, individuals who commit such crimes also have to feel the pinch.

The PSL should also consider taking further action, for instance, deducting points so that fans given to rowdiness understand the impact of their actions on both the clubs and themselves as individuals.

The PSL Disciplinary Committee has to deal with these cases in time so that they are seen to be serious. It doesn’t help that they take two months to come up with a decision. Promptness is key.   

The football community is still to get the recommendations from the security indaba held last month to look at these challenges.

Hooliganism comes at a huge cost. Highlanders revealed this week that they have lost US$68 142 in fines to the Premier Soccer League in the last five seasons.

The PSL fines have bled the club’s coffers almost on a yearly basis. Highlanders paid US$14 000 in fines in 2015, US$21 925 in 2016, US$17 707 in 2017, US$13 554 in 2018 and US$956 when the league was last played in 2019. 

It is not only Highlanders who are in this predicament. Dynamos and CAPS United too have been paying fines to the PSL every season because of the disruptive behaviour of their fans. 

The problem just has to be extinguished once and for all.