Football is played on the backdrop of a fair play basis. However, Thousands of football fans in Zombo District look at it from another lense. #WhisperEyeNews
Fans of most local football clubs in the district take matters into their own hands and become rowdy in case results don’t go their way.
Scenarios where games ended prematurely in the past footballing seasons in Zombo are countless.
However, it’s understandable how emotional the game of football is, with whole the adrenaline that triggers the uncontrollable actions more often than not.
To some sports managers, it’s sometimes not about emotions but down to how the club’s leadership relate to their fans.
Many amongst the football club leadership in Zombo are looking for all possible ways of changing the narrative of how rowdy fans can turn out in case things turn upside down.
Paidha United SC based in Paidha Town Council plying its trade in the regional league is one of the clubs that bore the real brunt of football hooliganism last season.
Last season, bloody scenes were recorded in a derby encounter between Paidha Black Angels SC and the Town rival Paidha United SC at Bar Okoro Stadium. Thousands flocked to the stadium in what was described as one of the most attended games of last season in the West Nile Regional League. However, the game ended prematurely as a result of a goal scored by Paidha United SC which was disputed by fans of Paidha black angels SC who accused the match officials of bias.
Later, The regional league disciplinary committee weighed in with fines and penalties to streamline the beautiful game of football.
In the Zombo fourth division league , a fierce clash erupted between Zeu Central FC and Padea Rising Stars FC , setting another ground for bloody scenes as result of fights with rudimentary tools.
This led to an urgent sitting of the Zombo District Football Association disciplinary committee at Cream Land Motel in Paidha Town, to hatch a plan of ironing out the issues that were taking an upward trend from top leagues to local leagues.
According to the secretary of fans at Paidha United SC Patrick Onencan, it is high time clubs ” organised sensitization training for the club fans, to lecture them on implications of football violence.”
He added that as leaders of the fans,” they have set conditions for all fans to register with the club formally”.This he said will help identify some unruly fans during match days.
The Chairperson of Zombo District Football Association Jimmy Dokcen said “We don’t encourage any football violence and hooliganism in the game of football”.
Nega Abraham Ogusi, The legend in the game of football and also the coach of Paidha United SC said it’s high time coaches change the way they behave and utter statements that can incite fans.
Talking about football hooliganism, the DPC of Zombo ASP Nelson Nahabwe has cautioned fans against their criminal acts.
He advised that In case of complaints, “the clubs should use appropriate means to appeal instead of degenerating into lawlessness”.
The new Leadership of Paidha black angels SC in Paidha Town Council’s recent in meetings with fans at their Bar Okoro has been voicing “criticism against football hooliganism”.
But in Zombo, it still remains to be seen how most clubs will manage their fans most of whom rarely accept defeats and only want football results their way.
The National Sports Act 2023 was signed by President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni in August This year, Hooligans if found guilty may face up to 10 years in jail. The intended purpose of this law is to curb chaos and hooliganism at sports events across the country.
