KNVB tightens measures immediately after lighter incident: ‘Completely finished with it’
NOS Soccer–
Following the incident during the KNVB Cup semi-final between Feyenoord and Ajax, in which Davy Klaassen was hit by a lighter, the KNVB has tightened measures. From now on, a match will be stopped immediately when a player or referee is hit by an object from the audience.
For only throwing objects without hitting anyone, players and referees will go to the dressing rooms the first time and the match will be temporarily stopped. On a second occasion, the game will be stopped immediately.
This also applies if a supporter enters the field. On a first time, players and referees go inside to the locker rooms, and the game is resumed moments later after a cooling off period. On a second occasion, even then the match is immediately stopped.
‘Field is sacred’
“The pitch is sacred. The players and everyone else on the field must be able to do their jobs safely at all times,” KNVB director of professional soccer Marianne van Leeuwen said in a press release.
The KNVB is taking the measures after a series of incidents on Dutch soccer fields:
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Van Leeuwen hopes that such behavior will end: “By taking these steps, hopefully potential perpetrators will no longer get it into their heads to attack the main players on the field. We are completely done with that.”
Although objects are thrown onto the field more often, if not every week, in soccer matches in the Netherlands by people in the crowd, it rarely happens that a player is actually hit. Let alone to blood like Klaassen was last night. A few minutes after the incident, he had to be substituted groggy.
Watch Feyenoord coach Arne Slot’s reactions immediately after the match and Eredivisie CV director Jan de Jong’s reaction a day later below:
The incident was also picked up internationally. President Gianni Infantino of world soccer federation FIFA condemned the events at the cup match in Rotterdam. He said the safety of players must be ensured at all times.
“Without exception, all players in soccer must be able to feel safe and I call on the responsible authorities to guarantee this at all levels. There is absolutely no place for violence in soccer, on or off the field. Incidents like the one with Davy Klaassen have no place in our sport,” Infantino said.
‘Should be safe for real supporters’
Van Leeuwen had no choice but to intervene: “Safety in and around a stadium is top priority and we do it together with clubs, supporters, municipalities, OM, police and cabinet. The starting point remains that soccer must be accessible, hospitable and safe for all real supporters,” Van Leeuwen said.
Eredivisie CV director Jan de Jong also sees a positive note: “Within five minutes the perpetrator was caught. The cameras did their job when they had to. Let that be clear to everyone, clubs have invested in that.”
