Linus Omark has said that it is “just to screw up” the ban.
Photo: CARL SANDIN / BILDBYRÅN
Djurgården’s supporters.
Photo: EMMA WALLSKOG / BILDBYRÅN
Three Swedish elite clubs have been punished with a ban on flags and banners at their matches after incidents in the stands.
The competition committee made the decision to punish Djurgården, Luleå and Troja-Ljungby.
Something that was not seen with happy eyes by the supporters or players concerned.
– Just screw it up and bring extra flags, said Luleå’s star player Linus Omark to NSD earlier this week.
Now the ice hockey association responds to the criticism – and emphasizes that they are not against the supporter culture.
“We are not. On the contrary. The supporters and the atmosphere they create is one of the absolute best and most important parts of the experience in the arena. The bans on supporter articles are exclusively about the fact that crimes have actually been committed that we cannot accept in our stadiums. It’s simple. Without the masking and igniting of illegal pyrotechnics to protect supporter items, the bans would not have been handed out”, writes the association on its website.
“That’s why the bans have been aimed at the section”
Furthermore, the association writes that it wants to maintain both safety and security at ice hockey matches. There, the association believes that pyrotechnics risk damaging the same.
The fact that the federation chose to ban flags – is because there is masking under the flags – something that obscures the view of camera surveillance and security personnel.
”Basically, it’s simple. Swedish ice hockey will never accept that crimes are committed in our arenas in connection with ice hockey matches.”
They also answer the question of why a collective punishment is suitable instead of through the exclusion model.
”In cases where the disorder has occurred under the protection of a supporter’s article, the individual behind the disorder cannot be identified by the organizer in a legally secure manner. Therefore, the bans have been aimed at the section where the disorder occurred, to facilitate the organizer’s security work.”
The ban applies to five home games for Luleå. Five away games for Troja-Ljungby and ten away games for Djurgården.
