“Parents also failed”

When FC Zurich met Grasshoppers, violence often broke out. Ahead of league and cup derbies, FCZ president Ancillo Canepa spoke about fan violence and possible solutions, criticizing parents and the media.

In the next seven days, FC Zurich will have two clashes with Grasshoppers. There's a Chinese Super League showdown on Saturday and another derby in the last 16 of the cup competition on Tuesday. Unfortunately, apart from sporting events on the pitch, the Zurich derby has always been associated with fan violence.

Ahead of the final meeting in October, FCZ supporters stole a dance from the GC fans and then showed it off at the South Bend race. Also in this derby, masked GC hooligans stormed the S-Bahn together with FCZ fans. A few weeks ago, fans of one Zurich club clashed with fans of another at Chilby in Wiesendangen. In the summer of 2023, Züri Fäscht's GC stand was attacked and vandalized. Club president Ancillo Canepa later explained that the stand was a “provocation”, thereby indirectly shifting the blame to the opponent.

FCZ fans display stolen GC supporters banner during derby match Image: instagram.com

These are just the latest in a series of violent clashes surrounding matches between FC Zurich and Grasshoppers. Ahead of the two upcoming derbies, Canepa and FCZ head of security Luca Maggi spoke at length about fan violence and previous comments.

“My wording was terrible,” Canepa said in a self-criticism of Bleecker's statement after “Züri Fascht.” “The message was wrong.” However, he still believed that the situation needed to be assessed. The attack on the GC stand was “ridiculous and morbid, but maybe it's something to be afraid of”. Therefore, FCZ will not take similar actions or implement security measures.

Responding to criticism that his comments legitimized such attacks, the 71-year-old told the Daily Herald: “I'm not going to legitimize anything. Let me be clear: if you do something like this, That's a crime.” Canepa repeatedly condemned the violence and made it clear: “It is absolutely not okay to go after fans of other clubs.” He described the dance theft as a “totally unnecessary provocation” and conveyed to those involved. Got this. He also explained: “I am extremely annoyed and frustrated by incidents like this.”

However, Canepa and security chief Maggi stressed that the club could not prevent such incidents from happening off the pitch. The FCZ president said: “We cannot be held responsible if some complete idiots attack each other at a train station or on Children's Day in the country.” Magee added: “This is not an expedient, it is ridiculous.” The club has no police functions. However, security within the stadium is always ensured and in the event of misconduct, more bans have been issued than any other club in Switzerland.

Ancillo Canepa has been president of FC Zurich since 2006.Image: trapezoid

Canepa believes the growing violence elsewhere is a problem that goes beyond football. “It is a disgrace to our society that such excesses have occurred. I feel angry just thinking about it,” he told Züricher Zeitung. Obviously, “young people's behavior is more radical, which is the development of the entire society.”

To combat this problem, Canepa visits the school regularly. He shared his most important message for kids with “Blick”: “Respect the fans of other clubs, for God's sake! It's impossible for someone to become an enemy just because they like another club. Instead, have fun . You have common interests!”

At the same time, Canepa also held parents accountable. Young people sometimes acquire wrong values ​​in life and he blamed factors such as family environment for the hatred of fans of other clubs. “It's not just parents who are failing,” Canepa complained. “I don't understand why parents would allow their sons to behave like this or act indifferently.”

There are also many young people in the curve – which is why Ancillo Canepa also believes that parents have a responsibility.Image: trapezoid

He also believes the media has a responsibility. These will bring up topics during the game rather than talking primarily about the sporting aspects. “Sometimes I feel like the previous media coverage was almost like a self-fulfilling prophecy,” Canepa said.

Football also provides a platform for anonymity where some people “want to step outside the boundaries of social norms”. Alcohol and drugs can also play a role. “This is a serious social problem,” Canepa said, asking the question: “Should free trade zones now solve all these problems?”

Canepa and Magee noted that overall, things went well and “99 percent of our experiences with fans have been positive.” It's also important to make distinctions in this context, e.g. When it comes to responsibility, don’t discuss the South Curve as a whole. “It's not the 'Southern Curve,' but individuals who may also be moving on the South Curve,” Canepa said. Self-regulation also occurs within the curve, but “the situation of moderators who play organizational roles within the curve is similar to ours.” : They can’t reach everyone.”

Magee responded in NZZ that since violence comes from individual perpetrators, not the curve as a whole, collective punishment is useless. The Green party politician believes they are also illegal and would enhance the image of fans as enemies of the authorities. This is why FCZ is taking legal action over this. Maggi believes the solution lies, on the one hand, more consistent prosecutions and convictions of individual perpetrators, and, on the other hand, more dialogue and cooperation with authorities, organizers, fans and police – that is, with “real people” . At the stadium”.

The Geneva match, which had a fierce conflict with a private security company in April last year, has been going on smoothly recently. Public transport around Leitzgrund has also been improved through differentiated dialogue. There is also a positive example in Baden-Württemberg, where a similar situation existed and was better controlled because people worked together and did not immediately fall into old patterns at the first setback, “to show political toughness “. Short term”. FCZ recently suggested this route to the city.

Luca Maggi is Head of Security at FCZ.Image: fcz.ch

Ahead of the derby, two FCZ representatives are confident of two safe and well-attended games. “Football brings a lot of joy to a lot of people. That should be the focus,” Maggi said. (NIH)

November 26, 1986: Börje Salming – a trailblazer for NHL players in Europe and a legend in Toronto – needs more than 200 stitches in his face after an on-ice incident.

1,229 NHL games, All-Star, Toronto Maple Leafs jersey No. 21: Börje Salming is considered one of the National Hockey League's greats, even if he doesn't have a Stanley Cup on his calling card.