Identifying causal factors affecting the occurrence of vandalistic and hooliganistic behaviors in football

Subject Areas :

hossein shahrabadi ¹ , Mohammad Reza Esmaeilzadeh Ghandehari ² , Hassan Fahimdevin ³ , حسین پیمانی زاد ⁴

1 - Department of Physical Education, Mashhad Branch, Islamic Azad University, Mashhad, Iran
2 - physical education department, Mashhad branch, Islamic Azad university, mashhad,Iran
3 - Department of Physical Education, Mashhad Branch, Islamic Azad University, Mashhad, Iran
4 - Department of Physical Education, Mashhad Branch, Islamic Azad University, Mashhad, Iran.

Received: 2024-09-26 Accepted : 2025-02-19 Published : 2025-09-28

Keywords: football, vandalism, hooliganism, foundation data theory,

Abstract :

Extended Abstract

 Introduction

According to research by the SBR, football is the most popular sport in the world. About 3.5 billion people follow football matches held at various levels around the world every week. As this sport has become the most watched sport and even a global phenomenon, and according to Boychuk, the average attendance at football games is relatively high compared to other sports competitions (Boychuk et al, 2016). With these descriptions, it can be said that professional football has become an important entertainment industry in economic and social terms (Pache, 2020). Several factors are directly or indirectly related to the performance of various sports disciplines: players, fans, technical committees, clubs, federations and media, etc. Although the importance of these factors in sports is known (Andre, 2018), with the passage of time and the prevalence of professional sports in different societies, false sensitivities towards this sport have been formed, which has led to the emergence of some abnormalities and deviant behaviors in both groups of athletes and spectators. Acts such as doping, betting, collusion, and violence are among the most important types of deviant behaviors and abnormalities that have occurred in sports fields over the past years to this day (Qasemi et al, 2009). Over time, the two terms vandalism and hooliganism have penetrated into circles and scientific literature related to sports, especially football (Deriemaeker & De Maere, 2016). Arianpourkashani (1997) defines vandalism in the literal sense as opposition to industry and the effects of technology and barbarity. In the sociology of deviance and social pathology texts, vandalism is frequently used to mean having a kind of pathological mentality and expressing a tendency to consciously, intentionally, and voluntarily destroy property, facilities, and public belongings. Despite the broad concept of the word vandalism, in the present study this word is used in its limited meaning and refers only to those types of vandalistic behaviors that occur in the country's sports. For example, we can refer to incidents such as; destruction of property of stadiums, city buses, subways, telephone booths, bank windows, or assaults in and around sports venues. Regarding hooliganism, which has been translated as hooliganism (Qasemi et al, 2009), it should be said; this phenomenon is a social problem and one of the most obvious manifestations of violence in sports, especially in football, which has attracted the attention of social science researchers. Pearson (2006) defines football hooliganism as disturbances caused by football fans. This definition usually includes criminal activities and in most cases occurs before or after a match. These hooligan behaviors are carried out in groups. These groups are often spontaneous, although some of them are pre-planned. These groups sometimes associate themselves with clubs to cause clashes and conflicts. Bodin, Heath, and Ruben (2004) believe that hooliganism means violent behaviors that occur with a group of football fans, inside and outside stadiums, and are most often committed by young people. Giulianotti (1999) calls spontaneous and spontaneous conflicts resulting from spectator violence that are carried out competitively, especially by fans of football clubs, hooliganism. According to Spag (2006), football hooliganism essentially involves aggressive and competitive behaviors between groups of supporters. However, hooliganism is not limited to these specific behaviors, as it may include throwing objects, fighting against modern world symbols, attacking police, or racial slurs. Therefore, as mentioned, spectators play an important role in the development and performance of sports, so in this study, we will focus on them with regard to their role in the occurrence of vandalism and hooliganism. We also seek a solution to prevent and control such behaviors in sports in the country. 

Methodology

The present study is qualitative research based on the data-based theory or ground-finding approach of Strauss and Corbin (2008), which is considered a descriptive-survey type from the perspective of the fundamental objective and from the perspective of the data collection method. The statistical population of this study consisted of football stakeholders in Mashhad, including referees, players, coaches, managers and researchers, spectators, executive agents, and football media. The data collection method is library studies and document study and in-depth and open live interviews with individuals of the statistical sample. In this regard, in-depth and semi-structured qualitative interviews were conducted with the statistical sample. In order to record the information obtained from the interviews, in addition to note-taking, a special audio recording device was also used. Due to ethical issues, the researcher had obtained permission from the interviewees to record the interviews before starting each interview. The duration of the interviews varied and the location of the interviews was at a location agreed upon by the interviewee and the researcher. In this study, exploratory and semi-structured interviews were conducted with 22 people. The initial theoretical categories of the study were developed at the end of the 17th interview, and from the 17th interview onwards, the interviews were used as a criterion for evaluating the previous concepts and categories. Since no valuable data was observed in the new interviews, theoretical saturation was achieved in the 22nd interview. In this study, sources such as interviews with professors, doctoral students, and experts in the field of sports were used to examine the validity and reliability of the findings. This study was studied and reviewed by three professors, and cases for correcting or changing the theory were stated. With the experts' careful audit of all raw and analyzed data, codes, categories, study process, primary objectives, and questions, the reliability of the data and the correctness of all research steps were confirmed. In addition, in the current study, the intra-subject agreement method was used to calculate the reliability of the interviews conducted. To calculate the reliability of the interview, using the intra-subject agreement method between two coders (evaluators), an expert was asked to participate in the research as a research associate (coder). 

Research

Open Coding Results

The data analysis process began with open coding. Open coding is an analytical process in which concepts are identified and the features and dimensions related to each concept are discovered. According to Strauss and Corbin (1998), some concepts can be categorized into categories that are more abstract than those concepts. Categories can be used to describe things that are happening. Once a category is identified, the researcher focuses on understanding the specific features and dimensions of that category. The features of a category represent general or specific characteristics that are combined to identify that category.

Axial Coding Results

In axial coding, one of the open coding categories is selected as the main category or phenomenon and is placed at the center of the process, and then other categories (subcategories) are related to it. According to Strauss and Corbin (1998), a major phenomenon is a title that can be attributed to the answer to the question “What is happening here?” When searching for a major phenomenon, the researcher should look for recurring patterns of events, occurrences, or actions—reactions that individuals or organizations, alone or together, exhibit in response to problems and situations. According to Strauss and Corbin (1998), axial coding is the linking of categories to subcategories along their characteristics and dimensions. Axial coding helps to form relationships between the major phenomenon and the category and to answer questions related to the major phenomenon (subcategories) such as when, where, why, who, how, and with what consequences.

2.1 Causal conditions

These conditions cause the formation of a phenomenon or a category. These conditions are a set of categories and their characteristics that affect the main category. The causal conditions in this study included concepts that were obtained from the question, what factors do you think cause vandalism and hooliganism in football?

The causal conditions studied in this study indicate the existence of 66 conceptual codes and 11 subcategories including “sports modernism”, “general popularity of sports”, “general attractiveness of the game”, “entertaining programs”, “physical distance”, “stadium welfare”, “modern technology”, “cost of attendance”, “incentives”, “perceived attractiveness” and “social pain”. 

Discussion and Conclusion

The causal conditions studied in this study indicate the existence of 66 conceptual codes and 11 subcategories including “sports modernism”, “overall popularity of sports”, “overall attractiveness of the game”, “entertaining programs”, “physical distance”, “stadium welfare”, “modern technology”, “cost of attendance”, “incentives”, “perceived attractiveness” and “social pain”.

According to the results of this study, professionalization and modernism of sports, by increasing consumerism, competitiveness, and increasing the general attractiveness of games, can play a significant role in the emergence of vandalistic and hooliganistic behaviors of fans. Therefore, one of the practical suggestions for reducing these behaviors is to carefully examine the effects of modernism and commercialization on the experience of fans in the stadium. Improving stadium amenities and facilities, adjusting ticket prices to make them more accessible to a wider range of people, and creating educational programs that encourage fans to behave calmly and respectfully can all help reduce the motivation for violence. Promoting responsible behavior by sports officials and listening to fan feedback to reduce feelings of inequality and humiliation can also help improve the sporting atmosphere and reduce tensions. 

Keywords: Football, Vandalism, Hooliganism, Foundation data theory