- Cyprus has witnessed numerous incidents of fan violence directed towards players in recent times
- FIFPRO Europe and Cypriot player union PASP will host a range of national and international experts under the auspices of the Cyprus National Police to discuss player workplace safety on 5 April
- Giorgos Papageorgiou (Nea Salamis Famagusta) and Vana (Aris Limassol) share their experiences ahead of the event
FIFPRO Europe and Cypriot player union PASP will host a range of national and international experts under the auspices of the Cyprus National Police to discuss player workplace safety on Friday 5 April.
The event follows the release in January of FIFPRO’s Workplace Safety Report, which highlights the scale and impact of violence and abuse by fans towards professional footballers in the men’s game. The report draws on player interviews, a survey of 41 national player unions and media reviews.
According to the Workplace Safety Report:
- 85 percent of player unions agree that “in most instances the relationship between fans and players is very positive and should be cherished”;
- 76 percent of player unions said that workplace safety is a growing concern for professional footballers;
- 66 percent felt that in recent years parts of fan culture have “become increasingly more violent and abusive”.
Cyprus has witnessed numerous incidents of fan violence directed towards players in recent times. Just one example was in January when Giorgos Papageorgiou, a midfielder for top-flight side Nea Salamis Famagusta, was struck by a pyrotechnic during a cup game against APOEL which left him at the time suffering impaired hearing.
“I was on the bench and my coach told me to warm-up,” Papageorgiou recalls. “When I was warming-up in the corner behind the fans, I heard a big noise. Immediately, I had a headache, fell to the ground and I couldn’t hear very well in my right ear. I didn’t realise what had happened.
“Sometimes we don’t feel safe on the pitch. There are times, for example, when you go to take a corner or throw-in behind the fans, and you don’t know if you’ll be hit on the head or back with an item.
“If you are thinking about what the fans will do, then you’re not 100 percent focused on the game. As players, we want to play in front of the fans – but fans have to follow the rules.”
Workplace Safety Report: The Impact of Violence Towards Footballers in Their Workplace
Tackling workplace violence
The purpose of the player workplace safety event in Cyprus is to improve employment conditions in the context of occupational health and safety, as well as ensuring the sustainable growth of the national football market by providing a safe and welcoming environment for players, fans, officials and commercial partners.
The event is organised by FIFPRO Europe and PASP, under the auspices of the Cyprus Police and the participation of the Council of Europe, the intergovernmental organisation that chairs the Saint-Denis Committee.
Football stakeholders including UEFA, Cyprus Football Association, and European Leagues will participate in the event. Representatives from Interpol and Cyprus Sport Organization will also be in attendance.
Earlier this year, FIFPRO released the FIFPRO Men’s Football Workplace Safety Report: The Impact of Violence Towards Footballers in Their Workplace. The survey findings are supported by a Council of Europe committee state monitoring report published in November under the Saint-Denis Convention that says the number of arrests at sports events, and in particular football top tier leagues, "is considerable and can be considered a growing issue".
The use of flares or missiles are of particular concern, but violent acts also include players being attacked by pitch invaders or victimised from the stands.
According to Vana, a Brazilian goalkeeper playing for reigning Cypriot champions Aris Limassol, more needs to be done to protect players in their working environment.
Vana said: “I don’t care when they say bad words about me [from the stands] – that’s football. But I think this line [violence & racism] we cannot cross. It is nothing to do with football and cannot be accepted in football.
“Some people think it is normal to throw things from the stands and think we must accept it. We can’t normalise this. As a goalkeeper, I shouldn’t be afraid of being hit by objects from behind: [smoke] bombs, bottles. Even plastic glasses full of water hurts. We are there to play football, not to survive.
“We need to be stronger on penalties and be more aggressive. Clubs also need to take responsibility on this issue – they are responsible for their fans.”
