Violent incidents at Dutch football matches declined in 2022/2023 season, KNVB says

The number of incidents in Dutch professional football during the 2022/2023 season was lower than the previous season, according to a report by the Dutch football association KNVB on Wednesday. This report is based on figures from the Safety Monitor, the police, and the Public Prosecution Service (OM).

During the last season, the police registered 725 incidents in and around stadiums during professional football games in the Netherlands, including games played in European tournaments. This was down from 893 incidents the season before. The OM received 422 reports in which football supporters were suspected of a crime, a decline from 640 the prior season.

This decline is notable, especially considering that many matches during the 2021/2022 season had restricted attendance due to Covid-19 measures.

“We are not yet where we want to be, because the number of incidents is still well above the number before the pandemic, but these figures show that we are gaining more control over the problem,” said Marianne van Leeuwen, director of professional football at the KNVB.

This positive trend is further reflected in the decrease in national stadium bans. Last season, 986 such bans were issued, down from 1341 the year before. The KNVB attributed this partly to the adoption of new technology and the efforts of a special task force, which has improved the identification and apprehension of culprits.

In April 2023, KNVB tightened its regulations regarding fan interference in matches and required referees to immediately suspend matches if an object thrown by spectators struck a player or referee or if objects landed on the field. If such incidents repeated, the matches were to be permanently stopped.

These measures were in response to several incidents from the previous season. Ajax player Davy Klaassen was notably injured by an object thrown by a supporter. A match between FC Groningen and Ajax was also permanently halted after fans threw firecrackers onto the field.

The rules were updated for the current season. Matches will no longer be stopped if the offender is immediately apprehended and provided that no player or referee has sustained any injuries. The KNVB noted in its report fewer instances of objects being thrown onto the field and noted that perpetrators have been caught in almost all cases.