Cricket: Encroachment by fans at IPL matches highlights need for tighter security

A few days ago an 18 year old cricket fan from Kolkata named Rituparno Pakhira had to spend 24 hours in a police lock up. But for the die hard fan of Virat Kohli, it was a small price to pay for being able to touch the feet of the man whom he considers a deity

During a match between Royal Challengers Bangalore and Kolkata Knight Riders, he jumped over the fence and ran into the ground to fall at the feet of his idol. He then attempted to run back to safety but before he could do so, the pursuing security men closed in on him and hauled him off.

The incident is one of the many that take place on sports fields quite frequently. It has been going on for years and sometimes the perpetrators get away with the violation of stadium rules. It may be recalled that in 1960 a female fan rushed into the Brabourne stadium and planted a kiss on the cheeks of Abbas Ali Baig. She then ran back into the crowd and disappeared.

Can take a sinister turn

While most such examples are harmless pranks, security breaches at sports venues can also take a sinister and dangerous turn. Many years ago, during a tennis tournament in Germany, Monica Seles who was then the world number one ranked player, was stabbed in the back by a man who was mentally deranged. Fortunately, the knife missed her spinal cord by a centimetre. It turned out that the man was a follower of Monica’s arch rival Steffi Graf. He felt that if he eliminated Monica, he would enable Steffi to once again become number one.

Another attack must be prevented

If pitch invasions continue then anything could happen. The risk here is that if fans can breach security then it is obvious that it would be easy for trained terrorists to do the same. In the light of the attack at Pahalgam there is a dire need for the IPL organisers to step up security measures to ensure that no calamity takes place.

If a dozen terrorists positioned at different points of the stadium suddenly jumped over the fence to rush into the ground together, it could take everyone by surprise. They could do any kind of harm to the international players who are playing. It could create a world wide furore. At all costs such deeds must be prevented.

Terror groups attacks on sports venues

Nowadays, increasingly the world of sport and the world of politics is merging. Hardline groups use sports events as a platform to highlight their cause. In 2015 a group of gunmen tried to enter the Stade de France in Paris. When their attempt failed, they went on a rampage outside the ground. 130 people died and numerous others were injured in that incident. We can imagine what could have happened if the gunmen had managed to enter the stadium.

On April 15, 2013, during the Boston Marathon, two brothers, Tamerlan and Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, executed bomb blasts killing three people and injuring more than 500 others. The Sri Lankan cricket team was attacked by gunmen in Pakistan. A similar incident happened in 2010 when the Togo football team’s bus was attacked in Angola in Africa.

After watching cricket crazy fans jumping over the fence on many occasions, these terror groups may decide to follow their example. It is high time that fans realised that sport is about discipline. The rules apply not just to the players but also to the spectators. There have been several instances of fans entering the ground without permission. They manage to elude the security by various means for just one minute of wish fulfillment.

Steps to prevent encroachment

If some fans continue to behave in an irresponsible manner then several steps must be taken. A wider and higher barricade could be constructed between the spectators gallery and the field.

All these ardent fans must realise that their unlawful acts may inspire criminals and terrorists to do what they are doing. Just as a player has to obey the rules of the game, fans must also obey the rules of the stadium. Then only can sports events be conducted in a safe and enjoyable manner for spectators of all age groups.

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