Evaluation Report
pro supporters Prevention Through Empowerment Prof. Dr. Richard Giulianotti Dr. Peter Millward
June 2013
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Content OVERVIEW OF THE ‘PRO SUPPORTERS’ PROJECT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 MODULE ONE: Supporters’ Charter and Self-Policing of Fans . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 MODULE TWO: Connecting Fan Projects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 MODULE THREE: Round Table Meetings on a National Level . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 MODULE FOUR: European Seminar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19 MODULE FIVE: Creative Anti-Racism Initiatives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 MODULE SIX: Monitoring and Evaluation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23 MODULE SEVEN: Communication, Dissemination and Coordination . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 Project Outcomes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26 Summary And Next Steps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32 Biographies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35 IMPRINT: © 2013 | Publisher and media owner: Vienna Institute for International Dialogue and C ooperation (VIDC) | Möllwaldplatz 5/3 | A-1040 Vienna | Tel. +43 1 713 35 94 | E-Mail: office@vidc.org | www.vidc.org, www.fairplay.or.at, www.prosupporters.net | Editors: Richard Giulianotti, Peter Millward | Images: pro supporters, Holger Arnold/Fanprojekt Jena, Matthias Ebbinghaus, Kibice Razem Wroclaw, FairPlay-VIDC, tivoli12, FSE, www.supras-unisono.info, Fanprojekt Bremen | Graphics: typothese.at | Print: Thomas Resch KG This evaluation report has been produced with the financial assistance oft he European Union. The content of this product is the sole responsability of VIDC and their respective project partners and can under no c ircumstances be regarded as reflecting the position oft he European Union.
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Executive Summary And Key Findings The European Commission-funded pro supporters – Prevention Through Empowerment’ project included eight international partners spread across six European countries and aimed to develop and deepen understandings of how social dialogical methods might be able to reduce anti-social behaviour – such as intolerance and violence – at football matches. Key outputs from pro supporters – Prevention Through Empowerment’ include: zz The Handbook on Supporters Charters in Europe: A 48-page document which emerged from consultations with a number of stakeholders in football that highlights an agreement between clubs/FAs and their fans to develop each other’s rights and obligations in a joint negotiation/mediation and social dialogue processes to prevent tensions and anti-social behaviours. zz Handbook of Socio-preventive fan work in Europe: A 12-page document developed from study visit experiences and which identifies nine criteria/minimum standards and four recommendations for fan work/fan projects. zz Speak Up! Fan Events: Fan events designed to promote self-regulation and empower football fans to organise responsible to represent their views to prevent problems and tensions. These events ranged in theme from anti-discriminatory debating events – such as those panels organised to combat racism and homophobia – to those designed to raise awareness on self-regulation amongst fans and empower supporters to get organised and promote effective dialogue between supporters and other stakeholders in football on problems related to safety and security and reduction in ticket/admission prices for football fixtures. zz National Roundtable events: A range of national roundtable events facilitated by the Irish Football Association (IFA), Football Association of Ireland (FAI) and FairPlay-VIDC discussing a range of issues that focussed upon club licensing and the role of Supporter Liaison O fficers (SLOs). The key findings from the pro supporters – Prevention Through Empowerment’ include: zz Evidence to suggest that some incidents of spectator violence can be avoided if processes of mutual negotiation and social dialogue between supporter groups and safety/ security officials – including the police and private security firms – exist. zz Fan project workers provide a good interface through which these dialogical processes can be conducted.
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zz Fan projects and the social/community workers that are employed in small teams in such operations face daily challenges such as isolation and doubts over best practice that can be overcome through a strengthened professional network. This network exists in an ad hoc manner through individual friendships but could be formally established through periodic fan worker congresses in the future. zz The different modules within this project demonstrate that there would be substantial benefits if a full programme of socio-preventive and dialogical work was rolled out to other locations in Europe. This would be particularly useful in contexts where the fan coaching and fan project models are relatively unknown or weakly supported. zz The full legacies of social dialogical processes – such as those outlined in the Handbook on Supporters Charters in Europe, the Handbook of Socio-preventive fan work in Europe and evidenced in fan projects – can only be fully understood in the longer term. However there are very sound foundations for optimism in the reach and significance of social dialogue in reducing intolerance and violence at football matches.
Prof. Dr. Richard Giulianotti, Ph.D. R.Giulianotti@lboro.ac.uk
Dr. Peter Millward, Ph.D. P.Millward@ljmu.ac.uk
Members of the project are photographed at the European Seminar event.
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OVERVIEW OF THE PROJECT The European Commission’s ‘White Paper on Sport’ (2007) called for ways of reducing violence, racism and intolerance in sport. Despite debates concerning possible reductions of violence and abuse in football, it is clear that social problems associated with anti-social fan behaviour continue to exist. Typically, the nature of addressing such disorder has been to implement repressive measures – such as the tightening of security procedures or other supporter punishments – without consulting or involving supporters or other relevant stakeholders. Such repressive approaches run counter to guidance given in both Action Point 21 of the White Paper and UEFA and FARE’s joint ‘Tackling Racism in Club Football’ document (p.22) which promote supporter engagement projects such as ‘fan coaching’, the effectiveness of which will be explored in this research. The pro supporters – Prevention through Empowerment’ project was born from the desire to deepen social preventive measures and social dialogue – as an alternative to punitive sanctions - to address issues of football related violence and intolerance, with the aim of addressing the underlying causes of such disorder. The pro supporters – Prevention through Empowerment’ project ran 1 March 2012–30 June 2013. Eight partners were involved in its development and maintenance: the Vienna Institute for International Dialogue and Co-operation FairPlay-VIDC (who are the lead partner), Football Supporters Europe (FSE), Federation Internationale des Association de Footballeurs Professionnels (FIFPro), the Football Association of Ireland (FAI), the Irish Football Association (IFA), Fanprojekt Slovan Liberec, Durham University and Loughborough University. The project was divided into seven modules that are individually discussed across this report, and took part across multiple European sites. The main outputs that emerged from the pro supporters – Prevention through Empowerment’ project were the the Handbook on Supporters Charters in Europe – a 48 page document intended to promote the effective use of social dialogical approaches to supporter issues - and SpeakUP! Fan Events that were both led by FSE. In addition, the Handbook of Socio-preventive fan work in Europe was principally developed by FairPlay-VIDC and establishes a criteria catalogue for fan p roject development across Europe.
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MODULE ONE:
Supporters’ Charter and Self-Policing of Fans Module Aims The module was led by Football Supporters Europe (FSE) and consisted of two parts. The first is the production of the Handbook on Supporters Charters in Europe, which is an agreement between clubs/FAs and their fans to develop each other’s rights and obligations in joint negotiation/mediation and social dialogue processes to prevent tensions and anti-social behaviours between stakeholders. It is crucial to understand that the Handbook on Supporters Charters in Europe shall not be imposed upon fans but is the result of a joint and longer-term negotiation process between stakeholders. Hence, this is a ‘Charter’, rather than a ‘Code of Conduct’ which would otherwise imply a top-down policy with little or no dialogue involving supporters. The second part is the development of the SpeakUP! Fan Events which ran across a number of European sites during the project. During each activity, FSE arranged talks to build trust with fan stakeholders that were thought necessary to produce sustainable co-operation. The underlying aim of the module was therefore produce and to establish the mechanisms which will enable social dialogue to develop and empower football supporters to self-regulate and organise responsibly as means of prevention.
Methodology Evaluation methodology for this module principally consisted of the collection and examination of primary and secondary materials and informal interviews/discussion with relevant stakeholders. The evaluation team carefully examined and consulted the Handbook on Supporters Charters and considered the advice which it offered while also paying close attention to the minutes from meetings and the emailed reports of the Speak-Up! Fan Events, of which an evaluator attended one event. These events included: 1. 26-27 September 2012: the first meeting of the consultation group to develop the Handbook on Supporters Charters took place in Hamburg. The Project Consultation Group, chaired by FSE, includes a cross-section of fan representatives from Central, Eastern and Northern Europe including FairPlay-VIDC and Supporters Direct (SD) as well as representatives of European football governing bodies and institutions from UEFA, the Council of Europe, the European Professional League (EPFL), the European Club Association (ECA) (as observer), FIFPro and the Football Association of Ireland (FAI) as a national FA representative. 2. 14 October 2012: the ‘Football Fans Against Homophobia’ SpeakUP! Event was organised and implemented in Aachen/Germany. 6
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3. Dezember 2012: a first draft of the Handbook on Supporters Charters in Europe was circulated to group members and interested parties via an email circular and to the wider FSE membership to collect feedback. 4. 11-12 February 2013: the 2nd meeting of the Project Consultation Group took place in Hamburg where the draft handbook on Supporters Charters was finalised”. 5. 19 April 2013: an extraordinary SpeakUP! Event, in addition to the official ProSupporters activities in Module 1 was staged outside of the EU in Zagreb/Croatia by members of the ‘Football Fans against Homophobia’ campaign and FSE. 6. 26 April 2013: Members of German ultra groups and FSE met with around 20 fans and members of the Black Rebels ultra group in Warsaw on anti-racist campaigning by fans in Warsaw/Poland as part of the SpeakUP! Project activities. 7. 21 June 2013: a SpeakUP Event was organised together with the ‘Fans Against Criminalisation’ fan initiative to raise awareness on the fan experience and perspective related to safety and security problems in Scottish football. 8. 22 June 2013: a SpeakUP Event was staged in support of the new supporters ‘Twenty’s Plenty/Score’ Campaign in Burton (UK) on tensions and problems related to non-inclusive ticket pricing”. 9. 29 June 2013: an extraordinary SpeakUP! Event, in addition to the official pro supporters activities in Module 1 was staged outside of the EU in Bergen/Brann as the first-ever public debate on homophobia in football among fans in Norway … 10. 30 June / 1 July 2013: Organisation of the first ever national network meeting of Finnish football supporters as part of the SpeakUP! Events. 7
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Module Outcomes: Supporters’ Charter 1. The 48-page Handbook on Supporters Charters in Europe – printed in five languages (English, German, French, Spanish and Russian) – was produced and launched at the European seminar on 3 June 2013 in Vienna. 2. All major stakeholders in European football had joined the process of developing the document, subsequently endorsed the concept and offered their support for the dissemination of the handbook – official statements of endorsement to the document were provided by the European Commissioner Andoulla Vassiliou and UEFA President Michel Platini amongst others; this provides a strong basis for promoting the document among all football stakeholders across Europe. 3. There is continued agreement between FSE and the other football bodies and institutions that they should engage in future social dialogue on relevant topics and the need for follow-up pilot projects at club level was agreed. 4. First clubs and fan groups have raised interest in developing Supporters Charters at their clubs and requested support by FSE in the process.
Module Outcomes: Speak Up! Fan Events zz A range of events to promote self-regulation and empower football fans to organise responsible to represent their views to prevent problems and tensions was arranged. zz The events ranged in theme from anti-discriminatory debating and networking events – such as those panels organised to combat racism and homophobia – to those designed to promote effective dialogue between supporters and police/law enforcement agencies and reductions in ticket/admission prices for football fixtures. zz A national fans’ campaign against homophobia was expanded to the European level and the level of awareness, networking and grassroots campaigning activities amongst participating fans against the topic of homophobia in football has increased. zz Finnish supporters from different clubs were brought together at national level to talk about strategies to tackle common issues for the first time ever. zz Polish anti-racist supporters were empowered and encouraged to continue their commitment even in view of threats in a hostile environment through peer group exchange with other like-minded supporters. zz Scottish supporters for the first time organised a public event to present their perspective on safety and security matters to raise awareness and contribute to a differentiated debate and voice their opinion in a different form, beyond mass protest activities.
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Reflections from the Module It is difficult to arrive at any firm and definitive conclusions on the impact of these module outcomes, given that the fan events ran very recently and that the handbook was printed a few weeks prior to our report. We note here the significance of the FSE congress, to be staged in July 2013, where the handbook will be promoted. Tentatively, it is possible to reflect that through the call for action and the contacts established to various supporter groups within the framework of the SpeakUP! Events, FSE has been able to expand its network of fan groups. This is important for the long-term spread of a social dialogical approach, which will facilitate support for, and the self-regulation of, supporter behaviour at football matches. Soft evidence of immediate fan accounts would suggest that through the SpeakUP! Fan Events, many supporters have reported feelings of empowerment and have registered an interest in organising future activities. The Supporters’ Charter also now exists. This document legitimately provides a source of optimism that social dialogue can be deepened between all stakeholders at football matches. Indeed, the content of the material offered within the document is highly constructive, in establishing the basis upon which such dialogue should take place. The potential adaptability of the document is also very commendable, as it aims to provide a flexible framework for such dialogue, which allows fully for diverse needs and contexts, rather than to establish an overly prescriptive set of rules and procedures. Future beneficiaries of the document are obviously targeted through FSE networks but due to the constructive elaboration process, the European football governing bodies and institutions such as the Council of Europe have also already promoted the FSE document. The SpeakUP! Events have supported grassroots football supporters in their everyday environment. This has certainly also promoted the role of FSE amongst fans across Europe, therefore expanding its reach as a European fans’ organisation. However, to promote self-regulation and empower football fans to organise responsible to represent their views to prevent problems and tensions this valuable document might be best achieved through maximizing the range of outlets and forms of circulation. Hence further target marking might be beneficial, in order to increase impact. Social network technologies might be one practical and cost-effective way of achieving this goal. Overall, we conclude initially that there are very sound foundations for optimism in the reach and significance of social dialogue and the level of self-regulation potential encouraged through this module.
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MODULE TWO:
Connecting Fan Projects Module Aims Module Two which was coordinated by FairPlay-VIDC aimed to connect fan projects across Europe. The module included exchanges of information, knowledge, skills and experience and transfers of good practice/guidance, from experienced, long-standing fan projects to evolving and new fan projects. The module also featured the development of a network of sustainable social preventive fan projects. The research was based on field visits, as well as participation at project team meetings and seminars in Dublin and Vienna, and focuses on the identification of good practice and knowledge transfer, and also on future fields of activity for fan projects and wider supporter movements.
Methodology Six fan projects, spread across four different countries were selected to be included in the module. These projects were associated with the following football clubs: WKS Slask Wroclaw (Poland), FC Slovan Liberec (Czech Republic), SV Austria Salzburg (Austria), FC Wacker Innsbruck (Austria), SV Werder Bremen (Germany) and FC Carl Zeiss Jena (Germany). The selection of fan projects ranged from the longest standing in European football (SV Werder Bremen), through new and emerging fan projects (FC Slovan Liberec), to those supporter groups where no fan projects currently exist (SV Austria Salzburg). The selected fan projects showed substantial diversity with regard to their positions in their respective football leagues: Werder Bremen is in the top division in German football; Slask Wroclaw, Wacker Innsbruck and Slovan Liberec are also in their top national divisions; and, Carl Zeiss Jena and Austria Salzburg compete in the regional divisions. Delegates from the fan projects (ranging in number from 1-3 people) were split into two study groups. Group 1 consisted of delegates from Werder Bremen, Slovan Liberec and Wacker Innsbruck, and Group 2 from Carl Zeiss Jena, Austria Salzburg and Slask Wroclaw. The research methods which we employed were qualitative. Most specifically, the evaluators (Giulianotti and Millward) conducted participant observation in each research setting; field interviews with fan project co-ordinators; and, participant-directed focus groups that followed the safety and security operations during football matches. Additional material was drawn from the preliminary meeting of the project partners in Dublin (27-28 March 2012) and the European seminar in Vienna (3-4 June 2013). The study visits were: zz 18-20 January 2013, to Werder Bremen to observe the work of its fan project and work with delegates from Wacker Innsbruck and Slovan Liberec fan projects;
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zz 23-24 March 2013, to Carl Zeiss Jena to observe the work of its fan project and work with delegates from Austria Salzburg and Slask Wroclaw fan projects (this study visit was re-arranged, following the postponement of the targeted football fixture in early February); zz 5-7 April 2013, to Wacker Innsbruck to observe the work of its fan project and work with delegates from Werder Bremen and Slovan Liberec; zz 19-21 April 2013, to Slask Wroclaw to observe the work of its fan project, along with 足delegates from Carl Zeiss Jena and Austria Salzburg; zz 30 April-2 May 2013, to Austria Salzburg to observe supporter and security practices, along with delegates from Carl Zeiss Jena fan projects and, zz 3-5 June 2013, to Slovan Liberec to observe the work of its fan project and work with 足delegates from Werder Bremen and Wacker Innsbruck. Delegates from FairPlay-VIDC participated in all study visits, while evaluators were present at all but the Slask Wroclaw and Slovan Liberec study visits. In addition to this, an initial field trip to Slovan Liberec on 9-11 July 2012 took place in which all delegates from all fan projects (apart from Austria Salzburg), along with experts from KOS Fanprojekte (coordinating office of German fan projects), Kibice Razem Poland (Supporters United fan projects), FSE and the Czech FA, were present. This meeting served to build initial bonds between those who took part in the project and discussions clearly suggested a desire to network fan projects across Europe, and to identify and to disseminate current best practices.
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Module Outcomes The most tangible output from the module was the Handbook of Socio-preventive fan work in Europe, in which FairPlay-VIDC led in the production. This 12 page document is developed from study visit experiences and draws nine criteria/minimum standards and four recommendations for fan work/fan projects. The handbook published in English, German, Czech and Polish exists in hard copy and is distributed through FairPlay-VIDC, KOS Fanprojekte and FSE networks and is also available as an electronic download from www.prosupporters.net. In the process of evaluation research it is usual practice to draw up indicators of what a ‘desirable’ outcome of an intervention might be. As such, at the initial meeting in Liberec, fan project workers reported that: 1. They personally valued the work they undertook in their working practice but those who worked in smaller teams often felt isolated; 2. Those who worked in smaller teams often felt – through this isolation – a sense of a lack of external validation of the work they undertake; 3. The practice of fan project work often means that decisions on how to act have to be context-specific and thus made in the field. Many fan project workers often wondered whether their practices were the most effective in this respect; 4. Many fan project workers in older projects wondered whether their approach might be boosted by exploring the work in newer projects and, in particular, listening to their innovations; 5. Many fan workers in newer projects, while recognising the differences between football clubs and supporter cultures in each setting, were keen to examine what might be learned from the more established projects and fan initiatives. Data to address these indicators was found through field interviews conducted during study visits and the European seminar and focus groups conducted on study visits. The results focused on the following issues: 1. The senses of isolation experienced by fan workers within small teams: The study visits did not eliminate the day-to-day isolation that some fan project workers felt but some reported during the visits and at the European seminar that the collegiality they experienced helped to reduce this. From this finding, it seems sensible to suggest that a permanent meeting point/congress of fan project workers should continue to provide this role after the research project has ended. 2. The benefits of professional training: Several of the fan project workers, particularly in Germany and Austria, had been trained as social and community workers. During dis-
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cussions and interviews on the study visits and at the European seminar, the benefits of this professional training became clear. Such training empowers fan project workers to bring professional social and community work practices into their practice, particularly in complex and difficult situations, such as when seeking to build strong relations of trust with fan groups, and also to change behaviours (such as verbal abuse of minorities) among some supporters. This training also promotes critical reflective practices among social and community workers, leading in turn to better professional practice in future. 3. The lack of external validation of daily work: At the European seminar, a number of fan project workers reported that they felt that they had ‘arrived’ as social workers through the cross-project communication and senses of empowerment which they had experienced on the project. They felt that their activities had been validated by the study visits and the opportunities afforded to share their experiences and to discuss best practices with other experts in fan work. These outcomes of the project should not be underestimated, given that many of the fan projects have only a small staff team, and in such cases those individuals involved feel a sense of professional isolation. Other fan workers reported that the coming together of fan project workers meant that less pleasant experiences of dealing with supporter racism, intolerance and violence could be shared and discussed in ways that are not otherwise possible during their everyday work. 4. Effective practices: A majority of fan project workers reported in focus groups and European seminar field interviews that the process of meeting other professionals, plus representatives from FairPlay-VIDC and the evaluators, allowed the sharing of knowledge, experience and good practice; as a result, fan project workers were able to improve their practice, and the overall quality of their work. 5. Innovations from new fan projects: Representatives from established fan projects reported that they enjoyed the visits to new fan projects, and that they were able to identify a range of best practices that could improve the effectiveness of their own work. 6. Established fan work practice: Representatives from new and emerging fan projects were clear in their belief that there was much which could be absorbed from the practices that operated at established projects, even if they felt that the budgets for such were considerably greater than their own (for instance, at Werder Bremen). 7. Resources and fan project work: All fan projects require a mixture of different resources to support their work. Fieldwork and interviews with fan project workers indicated that these resources include financial support, such as to fund/pay fan workers; infrastructural support, such as a sizeable meeting place for fans; cultural skills and experience, such as a knowledge and understanding of the fan scene; professional resources, such as professional training and education; and, social capital, such as personal links to significant supporter groups. In addition, some fan workers indicated that it was best to draw financial 13
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support from a mix of sources, in order to maintain significant autonomy from the possible influence of individual institutions (e.g. the local club or football authorities). 8. Fan project work, fans, and the policing/securing of football: Fan project workers reported that different relationships existed between the local fan scenes and police/security officials at football. Project workers stated that they could play an important role in improving communications between fans and police, and reducing both the prospect of disorder at football matches, and the wider possibility that supporters involved in ‘grey area’ activity might be arrested (with the danger of acquiring a criminal record at a young age). Similarly, in contexts where the concept of the fan worker was relatively new and under-explored, representatives of fan movements indicated that relations between supporters and police tended to be comparatively poor.
Reflections from the Module Good practice is evident when the following structures and practices appear to be in place: zz Fan project workers are established and suitably resourced: Effective fan project work is only possible in the long-term if the position of a fan project worker is established, and if the worker is suitably resourced. Ideally, this involves secure funding from a mixture of sources, infrastructure (notably in terms of offering a meeting space for fan groups), professional training, a strong understanding of the local fan scene, and the establishment of personal links with key individuals and social groups.
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zz Fan project workers hold the trust of supporters and ultras: A fan project worker needs to play the role of ‘critical friend’, in finding a balance between maintaining a critical distance from the ultras groups while still holding their trust. If the ultras perceive the fan project worker as representing them to the police, the evidence from this project suggests that they are more likely to listen to his/her advice. However, it is important that the fan project worker also represents police and other security staff to the ultras – even if supporters do not immediately recognise this – to ensure the full potential of social dialogue is achieved. In practice, this also means facilitating forms of communication between the fan scene and police/security staff. zzFan project workers maintain good relationships with police and other security staff: The fan project worker’s role is maximised when s/he develops and maintains strong working relationships with security officials. When trust is built between these stakeholders, effective social dialogue is likely to exist that can result in the best socio-preventative measures. zzFan project workers are not isolated: Much of the positive work that fan projects create is developed when fan project workers are not isolated. Across the six case study clubs, fan work is funded in different ways – in combinations of local states, football clubs and football associations – and with variable budget sizes. It is difficult to imagine that budgets would be substantially increased to allow the employment of larger numbers of fan workers at many clubs. In such cases, initiatives must be developed to ensure strong working relationships are fostered with i) other fan workers and ii) security and safety staff. Developing these relationships would also help to reduce the isolation experienced by some fan workers, particularly those that work in small teams (of one or two people). zzFan project workers are socially diverse: Fan workers should reflect any growing demographic diversities amongst supporter groups. Good practice exists with respect to a number of female fan project workers that took part in the project. A number of ways of developing further practice also emerged across the project. These include: zzThe representation and participation of diverse supporter groups: For understandable reasons, fan project work has tended to be focused on particular social groups within the overall fan scene at local clubs. In the future, fan work should continue to be responsive to local conditions but think about how its ‘reach’ into different supporter communities can be extended to increase the impact of its work. zzCritical reflective practices: Fan project workers should be encouraged to continue to engage in collective activities where critical reflective practice is discussed. Across the project, new and established fan workers learned from each other. This has to continue 15
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in some way in order for innovations in fan project work to develop and spread. Such reflective practice would also be supported by the professional training of fan workers, and by providing opportunities for fan workers to discuss their work with fellow professionals who work in other fields. Fan Work Coordination Austria by FairPlay-VIDC might take the lead. zzStructures rather than individuals: Much of the good fan project work is possible because of the achievements and personalities of key individuals. This is a strong place to start fan project initiatives and, of course, funding for this work is both variable in its size and source. However, it is preferable that structures are developed to assist the continuation of fan project work in the future. To be sure, structures should be developed so that when a key fan worker leaves his/her post, the valuable work that has been undertaken is continued by another individual and not lost to the football community. zzIncreasing the strength and size of the network: Representatives from the six clubs felt the sharing of good practice to be important. However, the network that was developed included only six clubs. To increase the effectiveness of fan project work, opportunities should be sought to increase the size and strength of the network. zzIncrease the European range or reach of the project: The network might explore how it might engage with nations which do not have fan projects, in order to transfer knowledge and best practices into these other contexts.
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MODULE THREE:
Round Table Meetings on a National Level Module Aims To foster the exchange of good practice the three partners who work on a nation-wide level sought to organise a round table meeting on the challenge of preventing violence and intolerance (in the Republic of Ireland, Austria and Northern Ireland). Relevant stakeholders here include football fans, clubs, national league, national FA, players, ministry for interior, police, ethnic minorities and migrant groups. To promote transnational exchange each partner would invite an expert from another partner organisation or form a neighbouring country.
Methodology Our research for this module involved primarily the analysis of emerging documents and also informal interviews with key stakeholders involved in the round-table meetings.
Module Outcomes In Austria, FairPlay-VIDC engaged with national fan movements and Supporter Liaison Officers at national clubs, while also attending a security meeting of the national league. At the second day of the European Seminar on 4 June pro supporters organised a round-table 17
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meeting at national level in order to institutionalize a structured dialogue b etween supporters, federations, clubs, fan workers and security forces. Members of the Bundesliga, the players federation, the police, the Interior and the Sports ministry and fan delegates from Austria Wien, Sturm Graz, Wacker Innsbruck, First Vienna FC, Blau-Weiß Linz und St. Pölten took part at this first nationalwide round-table. Pro supporters underlined its willingness to organise and coordinate the meetings which sould be held two times per year over a period of five years. In the first phase (two years) the concept for an Austrian fan charta including topics like fan work, liaison officers, ticket prices, away trips, stadiums, infrastructure and security should be elaborated. In the second phase (three years) the implementation should take place. In Ireland, the FAI and national league engaged with Supporter Liaison Officers and other officials at national clubs. A round-table meeting was convened in February 2013. Work in this context was somewhat delayed due to personnel changes, and the subsequent appointment of a successor to work with SLOs. A key theme throughout the round-table related to the importance of dialogue, as a genuine two-way process, involving supporters and other stakeholders. A further key theme related to the establishment of appropriate channels and forums for facilitating this dialogue, and also for promoting the image of supporters in more positive and accurate ways (notably in the mass media). In Northern Ireland, after a period of planning, a national round-table meeting was organised in May 2013. At this meeting, Supporters Liaison Officers were asked to input into a united working group looking at issues affecting the league, which are generally reflected within their club as well, but the input came from a collective of representatives of league fans as opposed to individual issues. The discussions explored ideas about: how to promote the role, build its capacity and develop a nuanced approach to its future development according to club-specific issues.
Reflections from the Module Evidently, this module experienced some notable challenges in regard to the planning and implementation of the round-tables. However, we can conclude that this module was broadly successful, in that it established and maintained the centrality of the project’s focus on dialogue as a two-way process, engaging supporters and other stakeholders; and, provided the basis for campaign work with supporters.
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MODULE FOUR:
European Seminar – Promoting non-violent and inclusive fan and football culture Module Aims On 3 and 4 June 2013, a high level seminar was hosted by the Austrian Ministry for Sports and held in the ‘Haus des Sports’ in Vienna. This Module aimed to disseminate the findings of Modules One, Two, Three and Five to an audience that included members of the Austrian Ministry for Sport, UEFA, national Football Associations and fan groups. The first day was in English and was aimed at a full international audience; the second day continued with an national round table (see p. 17–18) and was in German and was aimed at a more focused audience.
Methodology The evaluators adopted a mix of participatory action and participant observation research techniques. The evaluators contributed to several sessions on day one, as plenary speakers and round-table discussants. The evaluators also undertook informal interviews with module participants, and wider observational fieldwork while attending the seminar.
Module Outcomes zz The event was strongly attended by stakeholders from a wide diversity of football institutions and other agencies. In total, around 60 people attended the event from the Austrian government (Interior and Sport Ministries), UEFA, the German football league, the European Club Association, the European Professional Football Leagues, the players unions FIFPro and Vereinigung der Fußballer (VdF), Football Supporters Europe, club fan representatives, club representatives, key NGOs in football (such as FARE), journalists, and academics. zz Key stakeholders at the event agreed to extend dialogue with football fans as a point of principle.
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zz The Handbook on Supporters Charters in Europe was presented; its aim is to provide a set of flexible principles, rather than a rigid framework, for facilitating good relations between fans and other stakeholders in football in different contexts. zz The Socio-preventive fan work in Europe handbook was also presented; this encapsulated the findings and forms of best practice identified from the study visits within the project (primarily Module Two). zz The event served as a way of deepening and widening the network of actors involved in social dialogical processes, as a way of reducing anti-social behaviour at football matches. zz The event served as a way of deepening and widening the network of actors involved in social dialogical processes, as a way of reducing anti-social behaviour at football matches. zz The event brought together the fan workers involved in Module Two. zz The European Seminar included the first Austrian round-table meeting, which provided dialogue between supporters, federations, clubs, fan workers and security forces. Further round-tables sould be held two times per year and will be coordinated by FairPlay-VIDC. zz Discussions during the plenary and break-out sessions highlighted both the continuities and differences between different nations, fan scenes, and fan projects, in how anti-discriminatory and pro-tolerance values and messages were promoted among supporter groups. For example, in some contexts, the fan projects sought to engage directly with supporters who had been involved in discriminatory behaviour, in order to pursue positive change; alternatively, other fan projects did not engage with these supporter groups, in order to demonstrate the unacceptable nature of this behaviour to other fans. zz A report on the event has been produced (in English).
Reflections from the Module The module was successful in meeting its main aims. The event drew together a strong mixture of key stakeholders in football at national and European level. It was particularly impressive to see participation by the main players, notably UEFA, the ECA, the players’ union, and the supporter movements. Guest speakers had been carefully selected to showcase work from the project, and to facilitate dialogue between the main players. The two documents presented at the event were critical contributions to achieving the project’s ends. The Handbook on Supporters Charters in Europe has the potential to provide the broad and flexible framework for future relations between supporter groups and the main football institutions. The handbook from the Module 2 served to bring together the key experiences and findings from the study visits, pointing to best practices in fan work which may be shared with other fan workers. The plenary and break-out sessions were very well convened, and ensured that effective and orderly discussion and debate ensued on the relevant topics.
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MODULE FIVE:
Creative Anti-Racism Initiatives during the FARE Action Weeks Module Aims This Module sought to engage with young football fans (aged 12-18) in ‘mini-projects’ or stadium actions following a ‘Call for Action’ in the framework of the annual FARE Action Weeks against Racism and Discrimination. The aim was to present the outcome of this module during the 13th FARE Action Week (16-31 October 2012). In total 8-10 events in at least five different member countries should have been supported. Key contributors to the implementation of this module included FairPlay-VIDC, the IFA, the FAI and supporter movements at club level.
Methodology Evaluation of this module draws primarily on analysis of documentary materials and on informal interviews with some of the key participants.
Module Outcomes Prior to the action weeks, FairPlay-VIDC produced and distributed a Call for Action document, for all project partners and for some other key stakeholders. The call was subsequently uploaded onto key NGO and supporter group websites, and distributed through social media. Supporter groups applied through the project for funding to run their local campaigns. Project partners provided the successful applicants with material and professional support, notably with guidance on the initiative, posters and flyers for publicity, and as the main point of contact. The participating groups included the following: Faninitiative Innsbruck, Tivoli Nord Innsbruck, Culture Factor Y Lustenau (all Austria), Caillera Bremen (Germany), Majak Liberec (Czech Republic), Sligo Rovers, Dundalk F.C. and St Patricks Athletics F.C. (Ireland). Further work involving the FAI and ‘Show Racism the Red Card’ identified several clubs to work with young supporters, in order to promote anti-racism initiatives during the action weeks. Project partners reported that the module faced a number of challenges in implementation. One difficulty was in reaching the targeted group, as there are very few fan groups which engage fully with young supporters in the 12-18 age range. Two mini-projects experienced specific problems, in terms of cancelling the initiative at short notice and in not
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engaging with the appropriate target group. On the other hand, it was also felt that more actions and initiatives might have been supported as part of this particular module.
Reflections from the Module The following conclusions emerge from this module: 1. The initiative was a cost-efficient exercise in seeking to promote positive practices and forms of self-regulation among supporters, and aimed at a cohort during a key stage in their socialisation. 2. The module seems to have had particular success in contexts where existing projects with young supporter groups on these themes are up and running. While this appears to be a predictable outcome, it also highlights the particularly strong challenges that are faced in working with this age-group from a relatively limited or weak starting-point. 3. Relatively conventional techniques were used for disseminating information about the module/mini-project, and for publicising the actual messages associated with the mini-projects. It may be that other techniques and methods might be explored in future when working with similar cohorts. 4. A striking initial finding was that very few supporter movements engage with these young fans. This highlights the need for much more work to be done with these young fan groups, particularly as they are at a crucial stage in their social development.
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MODULE SIX:
Monitoring and Evaluation Module Aims The aim of the module was to undertake the research and evaluation methods on the other six modules. The main focus of this module was on Modules Two and lower level on Module One, while attention was paid to all elements of the project.
Expected Results 1. Aim: Participating fan groups feeling empowered and taking self-regulating measures for fans – and by fans – to create, develop or enhance a sustainable, positive fan culture. Criteria: A high volume of fan groups taking part in consultative meetings and being involved in the organisation of SpeakUP! Fans’ Events; qualitative feedback on match days. 2. Aim: Governing bodies are promoting active dialogue with fans as an important way of preventing violence and intolerance. Criteria: The degree of participation in the Consultation Group for the European handbook on Supporters Charters and input; number of governing bodies disseminating the handbook through their websites; attendance of governing bodies and fans at national roundtable events; media coverage for the project. 3. Aim: To have developed social preventative fan projects in European countries without established fan coaching structures and to have developed a network of social preventative fan projects in Central and Eastern Europe. Criteria: Number and quality of participation of fan projects in Module 2; existence of new fan projects at the end of the project period, degree of voluntary involvement of established fan projects. 4. Aim: A pan-European exchange of good practice and a European-wide network based on social dialogue which places the empowerment of fans as a means of overcoming violence and intolerance. Criteria: All major stakeholders receive the Handbook on Supporters Charters and a Handbook of Socio-preventative fan work in Europe; positive feedback from stakeholders on the material and the process; key partners to work together after the official end of the project. 5. Aim: To have developed creative and anti-racist awareness-raising that target young fans. Criteria: Quality and quantity of youth projects during FARE Action weeks; feedback during stadium visits and media coverage.
Module Outcomes See ‘Project Outcomes’ (pp.26-31).
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MODULE SEVEN:
Communication, Dissemination and Coordination Module Aims The module sought to ensure effective communication and co-ordination between partners, and then dissemination to the wider public.
Module Outcomes FairPlay-VIDC set up a website – found at http://www.prosupporters.net – to present the project outputs to a E uropean and global sport audience. All produced material was available to download. The English-speaking version of the website features a news section and the option to subscribe to an e-bulletin newsletter. zz Several newsletters that were disseminated via existing communication channels, such as through FSE, FIFPro and FairPlay. zz A Facebook pro supporters page that has received 670 ‘likes’. zz A Twitter pro supporters page with 150 followers. zz A co-ordination meeting that was held in Dublin on 27-28 March 2012.
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Reflections from the Module Dissemination work is ongoing through media, new media and new media channels. The project was further promoted through the production and distribution of pro supporters flyers, posters, pin badges and stickers, which made the logo more widely visible to fan groups. Intensified usage of the Twitter feed might be a form of continued dissemination and could be considered to further increase the reach of the findings and advice. If the project were somehow extended, short blog entries on the website might also attract an audience and increase the impact of the work that has been undertaken. Partners on the project communicated with each other effectively, and the infrastructure that FairPlay-VIDC set up to enable such communications was more than adequate.
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Project Outcomes Project outcomes were found to come in three main ways: first, a discussion of the success of fan projects in preventing supporter violence and intolerance; second, the ways in which the outcomes reflected the aims of the project; and third, the main outputs of the project, namely The Handbook of Socio-preventative fan work in Europe and The Handbook on Supporters Charters in Europe. These will now be discussed.
The success of fan projects in preventing supporter violence and intolerance Given the relatively short term nature of the research, it was not possible to provide a longitudinal piece of research that explores the impact of fan projects in reducing supporter violence and intolerance at: a) the pre-intervention stage, b) during the implementation of the intervention, and c) the post-intervention period at a mature stage. Alternatively, we were able to gather large volumes of ‘softer’ data which appeared to demonstrate how fan projects work in reducing supporter violence, discrimination and intolerance through socio-preventative measures. There were two clear examples of this: FC Carl Zeiss Jena:
a well-established member of the Carl Zeiss Jena ultra supporter group, Nico Hartmann, passed away at a young age. Many of the ‘Lost Boyz’ – those ultras who had moved away from the city – returned to mark his passing in the league match that was observed. This football match was played against regional rivals, FSV Zwickau, who were also vying for second place with Carl Zeiss Jena in the German Regionalliga Nordost table. The Carl Zeiss Jena ultras negotiated with the security officials through the fan project workers that they would set off only one pyrotechnic at the match commencement in his honour. They negotiated that if the police and private security firm allowed them to do this, no ‘disorder’ would break out. The security staff agreed to this request, and a potentially emotional match passed with very little supporter violence. Later, in engagements with ultras, one of the evaluators was told that they believed that the fan project workers had acted on their behalf as a representative to the police. The fan project worker, however, said that he reduced violence because – as well as doing this – he also represented the security staff/ police to the supporters. The maintenance of both relations of trust, and an intermediate role between fans and security/police, is evidently crucial to the success of the fan project worker role. FC Wacker Innsbruck:
At the end of Wacker Innsbruck’s drawn match against Rapid Vienna, some supporters ran on to the pitch. The strong relationship between the fan worker at Wacker Innsbruck and the head of the private security firm meant that in such situations a response is brokered
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that pitch-invading fans are peacefully ushered back into the terraces and stands instead of the use of more punitive sanctions. The supporters left the pitch after a couple of minutes and no violence emerged from the action. These actions are then compared to the sole case study club where no fan project work is undertaken, SV Austria Salzburg. This club is fan owned and emerged from the buyout and renaming of the initial SV Austria Salzburg club in 2006 (bought by Red Bull drink manufacturers and renamed Red Bull Salzburg). A field trip was undertaken to watch Austria Salzburg’s visit to its former stadium – The Red Bull Arena – to see it play FC Liefering, which is financially supported by Red Bull, in a match that played an important role in deciding which of the two teams won the Austrian Regionallige West title. FC Liefering won the match – and the title – after an emotional game. At the end of the match, the Austria Salzburg chant leader collapsed. The Salzburger Nachrichten reported that: After the end of the game, there was a dramatic incident. The “whip” [chant leader] of Austrianer [Austria Salzburg] suffered a seizure and collapsed. He was taken in a critical condition to the regional hospital, where he received intensive care treatment. Criticism emerged that his recovery was not helped by the security, who did not remove him from the terraces. [Translated from German]1 1 May 2013 The incident raised some important points. The chant leader was in the fenced area of the terraces when he suffered his seizure. Once he collapsed, many supporters loudly banged on the cages to gain the attention of the private security firms. Those working for the private security firms misunderstood this panic for aggression and refused to open the security gate to allow the injured supporter to gain rapid medical attention. This escalated a sense of panic amongst many supporters, which turned into collective anger that a member of their fan group was not being tended to. In turn, this prompted an increasingly hostile approach from the security staff, and so the issues related to supporter violence deepened. In such cases where longitudinal evidence does not exist, a way of gauging the impact of an intervention is to look toward an example where it does not exist and think about how it might have shaped a response to that incident. In this case had a fan project worker been employed, s/he could have called the head of the private security firm at the moment s/he became aware of the injury and treatment could have been provided more quickly. This may have reduced the likelihood in the poor relationship between the supporters and security staff developing.
1
Link to report at: http://www.salzburg.com/nachrichten/salzburg/sport/fussball/sv-austria-salzburg/sn/ artikel/fc-liefering-besiegt-austria-salzburg-10-57192/
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Outcomes and Match to the Project aims The aims of the project and how they matched to the seven modules are provided in Table 1 (below). This Table shows that all of the aims were met in combinations of at least two modules. How these aims were met is outlined after Table 1 and Table 2. Aim
M1
M2
Participating fan groups feeling empowered and taking self-regulation measures for fans – and by fans – to create, develop or enhance a sustainable, positive fan culture
X
X
Governing bodies are promoting active dialogue with fans as an important way of preventing violence and intolerance.
M3
M4
M5
X
X
X
To have developed social preventative fan projects in European countries without established fan coaching structures
X
and to have developed a network of social preventative fan projects in Central and Eastern Europe. A pan-European exchange of good practice and a European-wide network based on social dialogue which places the empowerment of fans as a means of overcoming violence and intolerance.
X
To have developed creative and anti-racist awareness-raising that target young fans.
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
Table 1: Aims of the pro supporters project and where they have been found in the individual modules.
Module Code
Descriptor
M1
Module One: Supporters’ Charter and Self-Policing of Fans
M2
Module Two: Connecting Fan Projects
M3
Module Three: Round Table Meetings on a National Level
M4
Module Four: European Seminar
M5
Module Five: Creative Anti-Racism Initiatives
M6
Module Six: Monitoring and Evaluation
M7
Module Seven: Communication, Dissemination and Coordination
Table 2: Module codes and descriptors.
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M7
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To elaborate, each of these aims was met by:
a. Aim: Participating fan group empowerment and the development of selfregulation measures. Across the field sites, it was apparent that fan project workers felt a sense of empowerment through forming a network of colleagues through which they could ask for support. Similarly, a high number and great variety of fan groups took part in the SpeakUP! Fan Events. Most of these groups ultimately chose to take the lead in organising their events themselves as part of the process, with support of FSE, which can be seen as a clear sign of successful empowerment and self-regulatory processes and the development of new responsible forms of self-organisation through the course of the project activities carried out in Module 1. These events received significant print and TV media coverage.
b. Aim: Governing bodies promote active dialogue with fans as an important way of preventing violence and intolerance. The Handbook on Supporters Charters is a key output from the project. The document was formed after several drafts were circulated but just two project meetings were held. Supporters groups but also personnel from governing bodies made active contributions to the document. Statements endorsing the Handbook were made by UEFA President Michel Platini; Commissioner DG Education and Culture from the European Commission Androulla Vassiliou; Jo Vanhecke in the capacity of Chair of the Standing Committee on Spectator Violence of the Council of Europe; and Tony Higgins as Board Member of FIFPro Division Europe. These testimonies sat alongside those from fan groups including Martin Endemann (FSE Committee member, Alliance of Active Football Fans, Germany), Per Arne Flatberg (Norwegian Supporters Alliance) and Stuart Dykes (SLO Consultant, Supporters Direct Europe). The consultation group that shaped the content of the Handbook on Supporters Charters reflected the different stakeholders from within football including those from associations such as UEFA (William Gaillard, Senior Adviser to UEFA President), the Scottish (James Proctor) and Irish (Michael Boyd) football associations and the ECA (David Frommer) as well as representatives of fan groups, such as Thomas Carnogursky from the FC Slovan Liberec fan project. National roundtable events achieved a similar range of stakeholders, encompassing fan group representatives and those from football associations. The Handbook on Supporters Charters in Europe was launched at the European seminar for the project that was held in Vienna on 3 and 4 June 2013, and was met with Austrian print media coverage. The charter will be further promoted at FSE’s fan congress which will be held in Amsterdam on 19-21 July 2013 and on other occasions. It is hoped that national Football Associations will promote the Supporters’ Charter through their websites but evidence suggesting that this will happen has so far proved inconclusive.
c. Aim: To have developed social preventative fan projects in European countries without established fan coaching structures and to have developed a network of social preventative fan projects in Central and Eastern Europe.
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Five fan projects across four countries in Central and Eastern Europe took part in Module Two. Fan representatives from a sixth football club – Austria Salzburg – which may develop a fan project in the middle term future also took part in the study visits. The clubs selected showed diversity in the age of the fan projects, ranging from fully established fan work to those that have only just set up. Fan project workers that took part in the research reported positive feelings of a reduction of isolation and a sharing of best practice through doing so and the strength of ties in the network of fan workers was enhanced as a direct result of the friendships that built across the study visits. No new fan projects emerged as a result of this project during the 16 months that the research was conducted but it is possible that a longer term legacy of the project could be a regular fan worker congress from which new fan work initiatives could emerge.
d. Aim: A pan-European exchange of good practice and a European-wide network based on social dialogue which places the empowerment of fans as a means of overcoming violence and intolerance. The Handbook on Supporters Charters in Europe and the Handbook of Socio-preventative fan work in Europe are key outputs in the strengthening of social dialogical approaches to reducing anti-social behaviour at football matches. There are plans to distribute these documents widely across all major stakeholders in football in Europe to extend the reach of the good practice that has been identified in this project. So far, all feedback received on both documents has been positive, although they were launched less than one month ago. The legacy of the research will be to consider the significance and reach of outputs in five years, rather than now. Similarly, the strength of ties in the network of fan projects/works has been strengthened as a result of this project and key partners have discussed how they could continue to work together, but concrete plans to maintain this contact need to be developed – and to do this, external resources may have to be generated.
e. Aim: To have developed creative and anti-racist awareness-raising that target young fans. Faninitiative Innsbruck, Tivoli Nord Innsbruck, Culture Factor Y Lustenau (all Austria), Caillera Bremen (Germany), Majak Liberec (Czech Republic), Sligo Rovers, Dundalk F.C. and St Patricks Athletics F.C. (Ireland) were involved in FARE Action Weeks activities, while the FAI and ‘Show Racism the Red Card’ identified several clubs to work with young supporters on anti-racism initiatives during the same period of time. Thus, the diversity and quantity of participants in activities was high. Project partners provided the successful applicants with material and professional support, such as guidance on the initiative, posters and flyers for publicity, and as the main point of contact and these activities received local media attention. Feedback on these activities from was largely positive however, there were few fan groups which engaged fully with young supporters in the targeted 12-18 age range while two mini-projects cancelling the initiative at short notice, not engaging with the appropriate target group.
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Further Thoughts on the Handbook of Socio-preventative Fan Work in Europe and the Handbook on Supporters Charters in Europe documents The project has shaped the development of two documents: The Handbook of Socio-preventive fan work in Europe (principally produced by FairPlay-VIDC and The Handbook on Supporters Charters in Europe (which FSE led in its production). Both could become important documents in active fan culture and the prevention of supporter violence/intolerance, however they must be promoted properly. It is clear that the audience for such documents is targeted rather than mainstream, and that they will be available in hardcopy through congresses, such as that offered each year by FSE, and via an electronic download. However, their promotion might be wider. It is possible that mainstream football media outlets such as Kicker, When Saturday Comes and The Observer’s monthly sport magazine might be targeted to discuss the potential of the outputs (with downloadable links to documents). It is also possible that The National Football Museum in Manchester might be interested in running an exhibition of the work. This might be incorporated into future small grant applications as its visitor numbers were 350,000 people in its first nine months of operation. The two documents also must not be confused in their promotion: they supplement each other but are individually important. With respect to continuing the strength of the network of fan workers and increasing its size, perhaps funding applications could be placed to key stakeholders such as UEFA to establish an annual congress of fan project workers in which: a) good and innovative practices could continue to be shared, b) new bonds in the network of fan projects could be created, c) individual’s self-confidence in their work could grow, d) isolation and loneliness of fan workers in small operations could be reduced and, e) critical reflective practices could be enhanced and developed. The Fan Project Co-ordination Centre in Germany and Austria may be interested in developing such an application.
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Summary And Next Steps This report draws together research and evaluation of the pro supporters – Prevention Through Empowerment’ project. The team that made up pro supporters consisted of eight international partners spread across six European countries that shared the aim of developing and deepen understandings of the utility of social dialogical methods in reducing anti-social behaviour – such as intolerance and violence – at football matches. The project ran between 1 March 2012 and 30 June 2013 and led to the development of three important outputs - the Handbook on Supporters Charters in Europe, Handbook of Socio-preventive fan work in Europe and a range of SpeakUP! Fan Events – that have raised awareness on self-regulation amongst fans and deepened social dialogical approaches in football. Across the project, five key results were discovered. These were that: first, there is evidence to suggest that some instances of anti-social behaviour at football matches can be avoided or reduced if processes of mutual negotiation between supporter groups and safety/security officials take place. This does not mean that all violent and intolerant actions at football matches can be eliminated by social dialogical processes but it does present a progressive way of preventing many problems. Second, an interface must be in place for these negotiations to take place, and the results of this project clearly suggest that professionally trained fan project workers – with good relationships with both supporter groups and safety/security officials – represent excellent opportunities through which these dialogical processes can be set up and conducted. Third, despite their excellent work, many fan project workers face daily challenges – including isolation and doubts over best practice – which threatens the retention of skilled individuals working in such roles. Many of these challenges can be overcome through strengthened professional networks, which must a) endure and b) extend beyond the end of this project. Fourth, and related, the modules within this project demonstrate that there would be substantial benefits if a full programme of socio-preventive and dialogical work was rolled out to other locations in Europe, not least to extend the network of support for fan project workers and to take in further elements of good professional practice. Fifth, the true legacies of social dialogical processes – such as those outlined in the Handbook on Supporters Charters in Europe and the Handbook of Socio-preventive fan work in Europe and evidenced in fan projects – can only be fully understood in the longer term. In the shorter term, there are very sound foundations for optimism in the reach and significance of social dialogue in reducing intolerance and violence at football matches. Additionally, such was the success of the project in promoting and evaluating fan work that the name pro supporter has been adopted in wider fan work coordination in Austria, at FairPlay-VIDC. This leads us to discuss areas for future research and, accordingly, the next steps in the key issues which emerge from the pro supporter project.
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Areas for Further Research Five areas for further research emerge in order to take the next steps in this field: 1. The long-term legacy of this project: we noted earlier that due to the relatively shortterm nature of this project and evaluation, we are not in a position to assess this project’s long-term impact. It would be very helpful to return to this project in the next year or two to study its long-term legacy across the different modules. 2. Broadening the range of stakeholders: research that has been conducted in Module Two has largely focussed on the connections of fan projects and a discussion of elements of good practice from ‘insider’ experts including other fan workers, evaluators and FairPlay-VIDC team members. Further research does not have to be trans-European in scope, but should possibly spread the engagements to more purposefully include other stakeholders, such as the full range of supporter groups at specific clubs (that is, including those involved in the ‘fan scene’, such as ultras, but also a much wider cross-section of supporters); other groups to be engaged in this research would also include police officials and private security staff. Across the study visits, there were occasional engagements with supporters and private security managers but future studies in this field could make their voices more central to the process, in order to facilitate a more inclusive study.
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3. Exploring new means of communication: Anti-discrimination and pro-tolerance campaigns have been running for many years across football and other sports, and tend to use relatively familiar formats and techniques of communication, such as action days, educational events, posters, and displays by various stakeholders. The various fan projects and other stakeholders which are committed to promoting and disseminating these messages might explore new means of communication. For example, we have become very accustomed to the importance and ubiquity of social media for football supporters, particularly those involved in the fan scenes. However, relatively little is known about how this might be best utilised in order to cultivate positive behaviours among fans. 4. Fan cultural practices and legal/security restrictions: Tense relations between fans and police/security officials are most likely to arise when there are aspects of fan culture which have come under restriction. One of these areas relates to the use of pyrotechnics inside stadiums. It would be interesting to explore how forms of dialogue, perhaps involving fan project workers are intermediaries, may facilitate common ground on such issues. 5. The diffusion of the fan project and dialogical models: We have consistently noted throughout this report that the fan project model, and also the broader model of dialogue involving all stakeholders including supporters, are both relatively limited in their spread in European football. We have found much to recommend these models, and would therefore recommend that resources are found in order to facilitate the strengthening and spread of this model in different European nations. If such a spread were to occur, it would be important for this process to be facilitated and to be supported through robust research, in order to ensure that these models are implemented in the appropriate ways in different national and cultural contexts.
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Biographies Prof. Dr. Richard Giulianotti Prof. Dr. Richard Giulianotti is Professor of Sociology in the School of Sport, Exercise and Health Sciences at Loughborough University. Professor Giulianotti moved to Loughborough from Durham University in November 2011, after the pro supporters project had been finalised and funding confirmed, but shortly before research was actually underway. At Durham University, he was Professor of Sociology, and at different times Head of Sociology/Criminology and Head of the School of Applied Social Sciences. He completed his MA (Honours, First Class), MLitt and PhD in the Department of Sociology at the University of Aberdeen, and took up his first academic post there as a Research Assistant (1990), followed by a Lectureship (1995), Senior Lectureship (1999), and Readership (2005) before moving to Durham. His main research interests are in the fields of the sociology of football, globalization studies, the sport for development and peace sector, sport mega-events, sport and policing/security, sport-related violence (including football hooliganism), social theory, migration and sport policy. His research has been funded by the European Commission, Nuffield Foundation and the UK Economic and Social Research Council (five awards). A forthcoming project, with Dr. Dino Numerato and funded by the European Commission, will investigate football fan reflexivity and representation at the European level. His main books include Football: A Sociology of the Global Game (Polity, 1999), Sport: A Critical Sociology (Polity, 2005), Ethics, Money and Sport (Routledge, 2007; with Adrian Walsh), and Globalization and Football (Sage, 2009; with Roland Robertson).
Dr. Peter Millward Dr. Peter Millward is Senior Lecturer in Sociology in the School of Humanities and Social Sciences at Liverpool John Moores University (LJMU). Dr. Millward moved to LJMU from Durham University in February 2013, during the pro supporters project. Prior to taking up post at Durham University, he had held lectureships at the University of Liverpool and Leeds Metropolitan University. His Ph.D was awarded in 2007. Dr. Millward’s main research interests are in the sociology of sport, with a specific interest in understanding football supporter cultures. He has published widely, looking at the application of sport to understand Europeanisation, cultural racisms, social movements and transnationalism. He has published two books (Getting ‘into’ Europe, 2009; and The Global Football League, 2011) and co-edited a further one (Delivering Equality in Sport and Leisure, 2010, with Jonathan Long and Hayley Fitzgerald). In 2014, he will have two further books published, Sport and Criminology: A Critical Perspective (Routledge, co-authored with Laura Kelly and Emma Poulton) and Researching Society Online (Sage, co-compiled with Matthew David). 35
Contact: pro supporters – Fanwork Coordination Austria FairPlay-VIDC MÜllwaldplatz 5/3 A-1040 Wien Tel. +43 1 713 35 94 78 E-Mail: prosupporters@vidc.org www.prosupporter.net www.prosupporters.at www.twitter.com/prosupporters www.facebook.com/prosupporters
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