Update: Polish football corruption

Today Waldemar K. former player and football legend at Lech Poznan the UEFA Cup participants, was arrested on suspiscion of selling and buying football games. Both, Wlademar K. and Piotr R. arrested yesterday (as mentioned on my Blog) were brought to the prosecutors’ office in Wrocław, Lower Silesia.

Reports suggest, that after arresting an important member of the football club Swit Nowy Dwór Mazowiecki, who admitted buying the game from Lech Poznan to stay in the league a few years ago, it was just a matter of time that football players who took part in that match, would get arrested and accused.

People in the field also expect the referee Robert Malek, who lead that game, to be arrested in the near future.

In the latest developments, reports suggest that Piotr R, is being accused in a number of cases involvng corruption. He is said to have received over 100,000 PLN (€21,000/£19,000/$28,000) for selling games.

He also admitted to some charges. The following days will bring more light into the story.

Football violence on the rise in England

Football hooliganism has its roots in England. After introducing other nations to this interesting and demanding activity, it returned to Britain. But did it ever disappear?

During the last twenty to thirty years, the government has spent loads of money to stamp out hooliganism in Britain and by introducing laws, all seater stadiums, CCTV, and stadium bans, to limit the freedom of such rowdies. This was not achieved. Newest developments, clearly show that tougher measures cannot control this phenomena of aggression between, two or sometimes more, football team supporters. Many sociologists deal and have dealt with this thematic in order to find out what drives such violence in our stadiums. It is a mixture of male nature, alcohol and drug abuse, some researchers say.

The Home Office keeps a record of all football arrests made for which team, so even they created their own football arrests league table for every season, based on the less violent real football league table version. At the moment Manchester United is the clear leader ahead of Chelsea FC, in third place it is Sunderland. Looks a bit similar to the outcome of last year’s premier league edition, apart from Sunderland.

These latest events and reports tell us a story that is deeper entwined in our society and that this certainly was not the last time we heard about football hooliganism in England or around the world. More punishment or harder laws will not eradicate this problem, neither will alcohol bans around the stadium. Huge amounts of people under alcohol influence have to potential to cause trouble.