CSL Soccer Violence?

[wufc]

http://www.hamiltonspectator.com/NASApp/cs/ContentServer?pagename=hamilton/Layout/Article_Type1&c=Article&cid=1158097813467&call_pageid=1020420665036&col=1014656511815

Apparently, there was "violence" at a CSL match when fans lighted flares. Was it really serious or are officials just overblowing this thing? I do think it's pretty cool CSL lets fans know they can use flares.

http://www.hamiltonspectator.com/NASApp/cs/ContentServer?pagename=hamilton/Layout/Article_Type1&c=Article&cid=1158270615065&call_pageid=1020420665036&col=1112876262536

And this is the reaction from a pissed off fan.

[DoyleG]

http://www.hamiltonspectator.com/NASApp/cs/ContentServer?pagename=hamilton/Layout/Article_Type1&c=Article&cid=1158097813467&call_pageid=1020420665036&col=1014656511815

Apparently, there was "violence" at a CSL match when fans lighted flares. Was it really serious or are officials just overblowing this thing? I do think it's pretty cool CSL lets fans know they can use flares.

http://www.hamiltonspectator.com/NASApp/cs/ContentServer?pagename=hamilton/Layout/Article_Type1&c=Article&cid=1158270615065&call_pageid=1020420665036&col=1112876262536

And this is the reaction from a pissed off fan.

There was damage to the facility which was of a bigger concern for the city.

[RichardFH]

This was at a Serbia-Croatia game in the CSL's new 'International Division' comprising ethnic based teams which was created to exploit inter-ethnic rivalries in order to boost league gate revenues. The CSL is in full damage control minimising what transpired at this game but this was a black eye for the CSL and its new international division.

[Blizzard]

This was at a Serbia-Croatia game in the CSL's new 'International Division' comprising ethnic based teams which was created to exploit inter-ethnic rivalries in order to boost league gate revenues. The CSL is in full damage control minimising what transpired at this game but this was a black eye for the CSL and its new international division.

Ya it doesn't look good on em. Hopefully this is the last of this rubbish we see but I have to say, the racism thing with the monkey noises concerns me even more.

Shameful and the CSL has to do everything in its power to stop it now even if it means expelling the club from the league or perhaps forcing the club to play the rest of the season (or a certain number of games next season) in an empty stadium.

Something has to be done. I'm absolutely sickened by this.

B

[wufc]

Wow, I really didn't read into this a whole lot. I thought it was a case of just flares, and missed the thousands of dollars in damage and a mini-ethnic war.

[jpg75]

Wow, I really didn't read into this a whole lot. I thought it was a case of just flares, and missed the thousands of dollars in damage and a mini-ethnic war.

The racist taunts (monkey noises) occured at their last game on Sept. 7th when Toronto Serbia was handed their first loss of the season 3-0 to Toronto Croatia. This time it was stadium damage...

[HSEUPASSION]

They knew this would happen. The CSL head honchos should be held accountable.

Wasen't Serbian White Eagles the name of a Serbian ethnic clensing unit?

[Daniel from Montréal]

They knew this would happen. The CSL head honchos should be held accountable.

Wasen't Serbian White Eagles the name of a Serbian ethnic clensing unit?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flag_of_Serbia

[RichardFH]

The CSL introduced this 'international division' in a desperate effort to boost gate receipts by exploiting ethnic rivalries and highlighting the differences between Canadians. It is nothing but a crass moneygrabbing move but condemns the CSL to nothing more than a mickey mouse regional league with aspirations above its station.

I have no problem with the original direction taken by CSL and wish them well but this latest move is shameful for a domestic league. The real north American professional leagues won't allow ethnic based teams or even ethnic team names and for good reason. Leave that to the World Cup.

[the shelts]

Can't say they weren't warned as well. The Serbian team should not have been allowed to be called the White Eagles. The name may not mean anything to us but was usurped during the 'troubles' of the early '90s.

see post from Feb (http://www.bigsoccer.com/forum/showthread.php?p=7587138#post7587138)

It would be similar to a team of Germanic people calling themselves the Prussian SS. OVerall though this incident does seem overblown. A couple of flares is pretty small.

[RichardFH]

Can't say they weren't warned as well. The Serbian team should not have been allowed to be called the White Eagles. The name may not mean anything to us but was usurped during the 'troubles' of the early '90s.

see post from Feb (http://www.bigsoccer.com/forum/showthread.php?p=7587138#post7587138)

It would be similar to a team of Germanic people calling themselves the Prussian SS. OVerall though this incident does seem overblown. A couple of flares is pretty small.The FieldTurf surface was burnt, the stadium seating was damaged, there were racial slurs yelled at players and the police, stadium and league authorities were sufficiently concerned about the violence to kill the stadium lights and stop the game 15 minutes before full time. Furthermore the CSL has vowed as a consequence to increase the number of security personnel at future such games. I don't call that a trivial incident especially as it is so utterly uncharacteristic for any Canadian regular league game in any professional sport.

I am also disappointed that the CSL commissioner saw fit to come onto the Voyageurs board and express pleasure that the incident had spurred over 100 posts. I guess he figures for his league even bad publicity is good publicity. His attitude does his mickey mouse league and its 'international division' no favours.

[the shelts]

I saw that from the commissioner as well. You are right, mickey mouse.

[jpg75]

Just read about what happened at this weekends game on the V's board. Serbian WE's took the lead and a group of Croat supporters unfurled a banner of some fascist Croatian leader who exterminated ethnics hand in hand with the Nazi's during WWII. Nice stuff...and then a girl got punched in the parking lot after the game. :rolleyes: real upstanding citizens...

[RichardFH]

These people and their sick attitudes exist whether or not the CSL operates an ethnic division. Regrettably, the whole premise of operating an ethnic division is to exploit and promote precisely such feelings. A bad, bad idea corrosive to the game and to Canadian society.

I hope the police agencies that need to provide security at the games and intervene in the kind of pathetic nonsense we are seeing at these games send a bill for the cost to the CSL. Such costs should not have to be paid out of the public purse when it was the CSL that deliberately and knowingly set the scene.

Some people try to draw a parallel with the FIFA World Cup. There is no comparison. The World Cup is genuinely international, the CSL is just a local domestic league with overly grandiose aspirations.

[canada striker]

Cary Caplan has no interest in soccer except for making his resume shine. This was a stupid move from the beginning and as Richard siad earlier, it reaks of desperation.

Maybe Cary and Co. should move on and focus on Cosmos Sports Management instead of wasting peoples time and resources with this. small fish in a smaller pond

[Googs67]

These people and their sick attitudes exist whether or not the CSL operates an ethnic division. Regrettably, the whole premise of operating an ethnic division is to exploit and promote precisely such feelings. A bad, bad idea corrosive to the game and to Canadian society.

I hope the police agencies that need to provide security at the games and intervene in the kind of pathetic nonsense we are seeing at these games send a bill for the cost to the CSL. Such costs should not have to be paid out of the public purse when it was the CSL that deliberately and knowingly set the scene.

Some people try to draw a parallel with the FIFA World Cup. There is no comparison. The World Cup is genuinely international, the CSL is just a local domestic league with overly grandiose aspirations.


Come on Richard, tell us how you really feel about immigration and eastern Canada? Have you renewed your Reform Party card?

According to your logic, the MLS allowing Chivas USA into the league is corrosive to Californian society. This is a private league and they are protected by law to operate it as they see fit.

No one was hurt. No one died or even came close to dying. 2,000 people saw a game. Pretended to be back in the old country.

It's what people like the U-Sector want to pretend to be doing in 2007 at Toronto FC games (watching a game in Europe). Waving Flags, singing, shouting nasty things at the opposing teams supporters, maybe even drink a little to much and get into a fight.

Like what happened earlier this summer at a DC United game when a bunch of Red Bull fans showed up.

Where was your disgust then? Where were your calls for law and order and our way of life?

As for feildturf being burnt, lets get some things straight. It was 20 year old astroturf. If the city does have to replace it, those Serbian angels did every soccer player in Toronto a HUGE favour.

[RichardFH]

Come on Richard, tell us how you really feel about immigration and eastern Canada? Have you renewed your Reform Party card?

According to your logic, the MLS allowing Chivas USA into the league is corrosive to Californian society. This is a private league and they are protected by law to operate it as they see fit.

No one was hurt. No one died or even came close to dying. 2,000 people saw a game. Pretended to be back in the old country.

It's what people like the U-Sector want to pretend to be doing in 2007 at Toronto FC games (watching a game in Europe). Waving Flags, singing, shouting nasty things at the opposing teams supporters, maybe even drink a little to much and get into a fight.

Like what happened earlier this summer at a DC United game when a bunch of Red Bull fans showed up.

Where was your disgust then? Where were your calls for law and order and our way of life?

As for feildturf being burnt, lets get some things straight. It was 20 year old astroturf. If the city does have to replace it, those Serbian angels did every soccer player in Toronto a HUGE favour.Seems you are quite unable to perceive the difference between the nature of the MLS and USL and this ridiculous mickey mouse, pseudo-professional regional CSL 'international division', the whole purpose for which is to exploit ethno-cultural animosities between Canadians for financial gain.

Since the damage to public property also appears to be of no concern to you, you probably see nothing wrong with criminal graffitti either.

Yes, I am quite happy to make my feelings and opinions known on the subject. If you don't like it then don't bother reading or responding to my posts. I will never buy a ticket for one of those 'international division' games, neither will I support the concept in any way, shape or form. The non-ethnic CSL I wish well but this crass 'international' division we don't need, none of us.

Since I am a landed immigrant, an ethnic minority and lived 17 years in eastern Canada, how on earth do my views on the CSL 'international division' have anything whatsoever to do with immigration and eastern Canada?

The CSL commissioner has been conspicuous by his total absence from the Voyageurs forum since this latest incident, despite his willingness previously to come aboard and defend his CSL 'international division' baby.

[TopDogg]

They have 20-year-old AstroTurf at Ivor Wynne now?

And yes Richard, the game was nothing more than an exploitation on the bad blood between Croatians and Serbs. There were 2nd and 3rd generation Canadians (of Croatian descent) waving banners of Nazi collaborators and shooting roman candles into the Serb section, and the "Serbs" on the other side reacting in kind.

This is the type of stuff their families came to Canada to get away from, and yet here was the CSL all too happy to collect on a large gate despite fostering ill-will between otherwise normal Canadian people.

The older Croatians at the game were shaking their heads in shame at the stupid brash youngsters who rekindled the hatred that the older generation thought they left behind in the old country. I personally heard many 'fans' there say that they were not there for the soccer, but rather for the chance to yell obscenities at the opposong fans.

But hey, this is all great for Canadian soccer. Maybe next year they'll introduce a Catholic team and a Protestant team, or perhaps they'll let teams representing Israel and Lebanon join up.

Just think of the gate! :rolleyes:

[RichardFH]

Can you believe this?.... posted in the Voyageurs forum...

All,

The CSL will not tolerate violence or intimidation at any of our games.

For the Serbian-Croatia matches, in particular the most recent one, we had 30 security guards, 8 police officers, a ban on flares and fireworks and a thorough frisking of all patrons, and several security meetings. We made a sincere and aggressive effort to provide a safe environment. Unfortunately, the game still produced a volitile atmosphere, which is totally unacceptable.

We are proud of the international division in Toronto in general, and believe firmly in the concept. The league has had a very strong season in a number of areas both on and off the field, not the least of which was roughly 50,000 fans through the turnstiles; we look forward to an exciting and well attended playoffs, but irrespective of the crowds or the dollars resulting from the Serbia-Croatia matches, safety will remain our top concern.

All the clubs, and the 12 CSL ownership groups, including those of the Serbian White Ealges and Toronto Croatia are committed to providing great soccer to our fans in a family friendly environment.

We remain steadfast in our committment to this objective.

Cary Kaplan
Commissioner
Canadian Soccer League

[RichardFH]

They have 20-year-old AstroTurf at Ivor Wynne now?

And yes Richard, the game was nothing more than an exploitation on the bad blood between Croatians and Serbs. There were 2nd and 3rd generation Canadians (of Croatian descent) waving banners of Nazi collaborators and shooting roman candles into the Serb section, and the "Serbs" on the other side reacting in kind.

This is the type of stuff their families came to Canada to get away from, and yet here was the CSL all too happy to collect on a large gate despite fostering ill-will between otherwise normal Canadian people.

The older Croatians at the game were shaking their heads in shame at the stupid brash youngsters who rekindled the hatred that the older generation thought they left behind in the old country. I personally heard many 'fans' there say that they were not there for the soccer, but rather for the chance to yell obscenities at the opposong fans.

But hey, this is all great for Canadian soccer. Maybe next year they'll introduce a Catholic team and a Protestant team, or perhaps they'll let teams representing Israel and Lebanon join up.

Just think of the gate! :rolleyes:You know, at the local amateur level I really don't care how people want to put teams together or what leagues they play in, that's their business.

But for a domestic local league that describes itself as professional, charges over $100,000 for a franchise, has aspirations to spread its business model across the country and charges money for people to attend games, this whole concept and approach is just plain wrong and offensive.