| Soccer riots have always been something of a | | | | What distinguishes soccer from many other |
| mystery. The violence in hockey is at least | | | | sports is its international acclaim. Soccer |
| reconcilable. Grown men in heavy outfits | | | | isn't a property of any one country, people, |
| skating at high speeds with sharp blades on | | | | or race but is an international phenomenon, |
| their feet create enough tension and energy | | | | encompassing a diversity of people, ideas and |
| to start a brawl in a hurry. In baseball, a | | | | landscapes. Because of the vast diversity of |
| hard leather ball thrown 100 mph at your head | | | | participants in the game, world politics |
| can understandably make you want to charge | | | | often play an unfortunate part in soccer |
| the mound. But soccer? Even the game happens | | | | rioting. When countries become enemies or |
| at a slow pace and hardly inspires more than | | | | evoke different political positions the |
| focused concentration on the field itself. | | | | residents often let the soccer team play out |
| American commentators jokingly portray the | | | | their frustration. This creates an angry |
| reason for soccer riots as its low-scoring | | | | energy and misdirection from the good of the |
| low key nature. They often say "after paying | | | | sport to the violence in the stands. A soccer |
| almost $100 for seats and fighting the crowds | | | | riot at a game between Iran and Japan was |
| to see two teams play an entire match an end | | | | said to be motivated by protesters fed up |
| in a 0-0 tie, you might riot too." However, | | | | with Iran's gender rights violence. The |
| to the rest of the world, soccer riots are no | | | | erupting riot left three dead. In 2004 a |
| laughing matter. | | | | soccer riot in Rome was planned to protest |
| | | | the government's spending in regard to |
| People die | | | | education and sports. When the tension of the |
| | | | world around invades the field of sport, |
| Deaths from soccer riots happen around the | | | | everybody loses. |
| globe. They have been recorded in Germany, | | | | |
| England Greece, Spain, South Africa, Italy | | | | Antisocial behavior |
| and Latin America. In 2001, a soccer riot in | | | | |
| Ghana claimed the lives of 138 people. While | | | | Unfortunately, soccer seems unable to |
| it is in our human nature to have a visceral | | | | separate itself from its reputation as a |
| response and succumb to mob mentality the | | | | riotous adventure. This draws fans wanting to |
| fact that any fan would be killed simply | | | | be part of the mob mentality and creates an |
| watching a soccer game is tragedy at its | | | | atmosphere of antisocial and anti-authority |
| height. All sports should make players and | | | | behavior. The number one casualty of any |
| fans more noble, and more a part of the | | | | soccer riot is generally the police or |
| tapestry of humanity. Loss of life at a | | | | authorities who have come to maintain order |
| soccer game shows how truly far we have | | | | in and around the stadium. Gangs of young |
| fallen from our ability to connect with one | | | | people calling themselves "soccer hooligans" |
| another. | | | | have purposely begun to infiltrate the world |
| | | | of soccer to spread their own brand of |
| Politics enter | | | | antiauthoritarian violence. |
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