Let’s ban insults from stadiums and ice rinks!

On September 19, during the Ligue 1 match between Paris FC and Strasbourg (2-1), the referee interrupted the match in the second half, even threatening to stop it permanently. What had happened?

Last season, RC Strasbourg was coached by the Englishman Liam Rosenior, today on the bench of Paris FC. When the announcer at the Jean-Bouin stadium pronounced his name during the presentation of the teams, he was heavily whistled by Alsatian supporters with stubborn resentment and frayed nerves.

Things got worse after the break. For several minutes, ultras sang an insulting chant: “Rosenior, son of a bitch…” The referee then interrupted the match, which silenced the supporters. The meeting was able to resume. But Liam Rosenior had not digested these insults. At the end of the game, he made it known to those around him and to those who had taken a dislike to him, with some unfortunate consequences. But that’s not the point.

This arbitration decision deserves attention. It is unknown whether it was taken spontaneously or whether it responded to directives aimed at combating incivility in stadiums.

Whatever the case, a sports venue should not become a place to vent one’s hatred and frustration, much less a place to fight. “Son of a b…” is one of the worst insults. “My family was insulted,” Liam Rosenior declared after the meeting. In Switzerland, such comments may, depending on the circumstances, constitute an insult within the meaning of article 177 of the Penal Code and give rise to prosecution.

A sports venue should not become an outlet for venting hatred and frustration.

At the Vaudoise Aréna, some LHC ultras — not all, a little naivety doesn’t hurt anyone — regularly engage in this kind of insults. And the opposing supporters are not left out. Saturday October 24, even before the kick-off of the derby against Fribourg-Gottéron, the Lausanne kop chanted: “Fribourg, show your ass…” After seven minutes of play, we could already hear: “Fribourgeois, son of a b…” These crude chants, particularly frequent during the matches against Friborg and Genève-Servette, return season after season, as if their lyricist was condemned to repeat themselves for eternity.

Over time, these insults end up being trivialized. However, they are not only aimed at opposing players or supporters: they are also heard by families who come to watch a sporting spectacle. And how do you explain to a child coming out of the rink the meaning of “son of a bitch”? Regardless of the education given by his parents, he receives these rude words head on.

Even more serious, rivalries between supporters sometimes degenerate into physical clashes, both in the stands and outside. The violence which followed the derby on October 24, with two Lausanne supporters seriously injured at Prilly-Malley station, is a revolting illustration of this. This is extremely serious and unacceptable behavior.

So why not take inspiration from football and interrupt meetings when insults cross the line? What if this practice became the rule in Swiss hockey? Such a measure would at least have the merit of reminding us that the freedom to encourage your team does not give you all the rights.

But the responsibility cannot rest solely on the referees. It is up to club leaders, federations and, if necessary, political leaders to take the necessary measures.

And what do security officials do? The LHC has scaled back in some areas. Is this also the case for security? The question deserves to be asked, without prejudging the answer.

Strengthening controls must be a priority for greater peace of mind and also with the aim of removing any fear when going to a sporting event. By train or bus