Fans are to be issued with a huge new punishment after a law change into drugs being used on matchdays, reports claim this week.
People caught in possession of or supplying class A drugs in connection with football will face being banned from games for up to 10 years.
The changes to the law that were announced by the UK Government in May has now come into force with policing minister Chris Philp said drugs “fuelled some of the shameful behaviour we have seen at games”.
The ban will prevent them from attending games for three to 10 years, alongside being given a criminal conviction.
There were 2,198 football-related arrests last season, the highest number since the 2013-14 season, according to Home Office figures.
Around 70% of those fans arrested last season were aged between 18-30 and there were more than 140 arrests for drug offences at matches.
This is all about criminalising people for Football Banning Order applications
Those found in possession aren’t automatically “hooligans” nor is it a given they’ll be involved in disorder.
Fans treated differently by the CJS and not a peep from civil liberty campaigners 🤷🏻♀️ https://t.co/olvQHZRgCs
— Faircop (@FairCop_) November 10, 2022
A report by Baroness Casey into violence at the Euro 2020 final between England and Italy last year also found “ticketless, drunken and drugged-up thugs” could have caused death as they stormed Wembley.
“Using and dealing drugs is neither safe nor victimless and has no place in society or football,” said Philp.
“That is why we have taken action to make sure anyone who takes or deals drugs at football matches will be prevented from attending games and threatening the safety of the majority of fans, including children, who just want to enjoy the game.”
Football Policing Lead chief constable Mark Roberts added: “Drugs and alcohol continue to be persistent drivers of poor behaviour in football, and wider society, and this is a positive step in tackling the problem.
After trouble and chaotic scenes at the European Championships Final at Wembley last year, where we saw fans storming the stadium and violence broke out on the streets, police were called into action to crack down on alcohol and drug use on matchdays.
“While there are many reasons for this, the use of cocaine is a contributory factor and one which needs to be addressed. Recent operations have identified widespread cocaine use both around stadiums [and] on the rail network as supporters travel to games.”
Speaking more recently about the spike Roberts added: “It is not just the UK – we are seeing considerable increase in disorder across Europe after the lifting of pandemic restrictions.
“We are not anywhere near where we were in the 80s and we need to keep context on things. This is worrying but we are not back as bad as it was.
“Cocaine is certainly a contributing factor to violence in the night-time economy and football. Football is a reflection of wider society.
“There is clearly an element of organised gangs who set out and wish to engage in violence. It is an unwelcome re-emergence.
“The concern is that we have younger people involved in this. The concern is that if younger people become involved in it then it is a problem for the next 30 years until we take some remedial action.”
Damning stats reveal that cocaine being used in the terraces is on the rise and it is being directly linked to increased violence.
Members of Parliament were recently told that some toilets within stadium resembled a ‘launderette’ full of white powder.
Unfortunately, alcohol-fuelled violence has been an issue within football for what seems like years now, though in recent times, questions are being asked about what other substances are sparking disorder in the stands.
Peter Houghton, who is the head of operations for the Football Safety Officers Association, said: “It’s coming home from all aspects of sport that there has been an increase in cocaine use.
“A friend of mine who works at Cambridge United said that when he checked the toilets after a match it looked like a launderette – there was so much powder there.
“Violence at football has always been synonymous with alcohol but it is becoming abundantly clear it’s not just a football issue and affecting different sports.
“Now you are not just pointing the finger at alcohol users but are also able to point the finger at drug users.
“It is clear that one or two of those people in the video have been using drugs and are not drunk.”
Drug use was highlighted by an FA-ordered report following the Euros while traces of cocaine have been found at five Premier League grounds last season.
Reporter Liam Coleman writes that an investigation was launched with every ground swabbed having traces of an class A drug.
The investigation also found that lines had been ‘racked up’ on top of toilet roll holders at Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea, while reporter Liam Coleman was offered “charlie” outside a Brighton match back in December.
There was an empty drug bags and one containing cocaine found on a cubicle floor at Man City, while traces of it were also spotted on top of toilets at Arsenal’s Emirates Stadium.
Cocaine detection wipes on toilets at Man City, Spurs, Brighton, Chelsea and Arsenal in December found that 44 out of the 58 swabbed cubicles tested positive for cocaine.
Chief Constable Mark Roberts adds: Cocaine is now more common in broader society than ever before, and that includes football clubs and football fans.
“It’s an issue with society, but that being said it is then clearly going to impact football as well.
“Where people are high on emotions which you do get in football, and then you add in cocaine use, that’s a pretty toxic mix as how people behave and it often leads to extreme violence.
“It’s really difficult to police, frankly, unless you do full-body searches on people, and then you’re still probably not going to find it anyway.
“It’s something that’s easy to smuggle into the ground.
“People can discreetly take it, probably easier than drinking a pint, so the hope will be we work with clubs and identify measures to make it just a bit harder for fans to take drugs.
“Whether that is putting liquids on toilet cisterns, having regular checks and sniffer dogs at every ground.”
Brighton say they were “increasingly concerned” about the use of cocaine at matches.
“We will continue to take all necessary and possible steps to prevent any illegal substance coming into our stadium, and we will continue to impose very severe sanctions on anyone found to be carrying or using any illegal substance in or around our stadium.”
The Premier League had previously condemned the use of drugs at stadiums, and say clubs are working with police to tackle the problem.
A spokesman said: “Possession or use of cocaine is a criminal offence and can result in a football banning order. Ground regulations clearly state that drugs are prohibited and measures such as detection dogs are used frequently to combat it.
“Our clubs continue to work closely with police on this issue.”
Twitter users reacted to reports fans are to be issued with a huge new punishment after a law change into drugs on matchdays…
@sidcelery: Not seeing the problem with this. For the multitude coming out with the whataboutery, you have to start somewhere and it can be extended as far as you like. Go for it. No downside.
@Browner73: What about in the House of Commons?
@RockcliffeFiles: I hope its extended to owners, managers, coaching staff, players and officials as well as supporters. Cocaine is as rife in the boardroom and dressing room as it is on the terraces. Especially in non-league. It’s worse in business/politics, the middle classes are above suspicion!
@DanielFo2001: Should be given a lifetime ban.
@beefeater407: shouldn’t the same be done for people caught with class A in pubs and clubs? Ban them from venues for 10 years??? I don’t condone drug use in anyway but surely it has to be a level playing field so to speak.
@DylanP_22: One rule for football as usual. 😴
@mundy_paul: Football fans as ever treated differently to the general population. Disgrace
@david080659: It’s a shame an MP found with a class A drug in the Houses of Parliament can’t be given a banning order never to sit again . We wouldn’t have any MP’s left !!
@PFarragherTFP: I have just read that if you go to a football match under the influence of drugs you will banned. I would like the same drug testing in 10 Downing Street and the Houses of Parliament.
We need full disclosure of the law makers #VoteTrueandFairParty
@SirBob17851512: Can we have test for MPs as well. Can they be sacked on the spot.
@relyk08731133: Old Trafford will be empty every weekend. You’d have to be on drugs to support that lot 🤣🤣🤣
@craigDLyons: Yet alcohol is fine. Never ever seen a drug deal happen at football, been to well over 1000 games. Yet only been horse racing a handful of times and saw two. It’s a class war.
@cfsgen: I doubt its worse than alcohol. I take it the ground will still be selling that?
@cdtplug: Think you’ll find people on drugs don’t tend to cause any bother. In fact football hooligans more or less disappeared between 88 and 96, due to the rise of the rave scene.
@OdinsonLiam: Probably should add Cheltenham & Ascot to this.
@JuveMetal32: Good idea ban drugs but you will still sale alcohol at match’s which is also why there is violence at football games 🤷🏻♂️
#lufc https://t.co/PBzYTB6wlW pic.twitter.com/FHd5rvuF9G
— ell 🏆 (@ejh91) November 7, 2022
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