From RTE News, Monday, 5 Nov 2018
https://www.rte.ie/sport/soccer/2018/1105/1008730-ddsl-fear-injury-or-death-after-outbreaks-of-violence/
The executive of the Dublin and District Schoolboys League have warned that players will die if instances of violences are not removed from their game after seven matches were abandoned in the last six weeks.
The executive revealed “mass brawls” have been part of the outbreaks of violence where “substitutes, manager/coaches, and several spectators now feel compelled to become involved.”
They added that they will not accept thuggery and physical assaults and said adults have become embroiled in the incidents “ending with them verbally or physically striking out at young players.”
The league have threatened to remove clubs from their competitions and pleaded with clubs and managers to set an example in light of the trend.
They said in the Herald: “Within the DDSL, acts of indiscipline that seamlessly lead to acts of violence, leading to mass brawls have seen the introduction of harsher punishments being meted out to the players involved in the initial act that incites the brawl in the first instance, increase fines on the clubs involved.
“We will not accept thuggery and physical assaults in our everyday life, why should we expect it in our chosen sport.”
The DDSL have asked managers and clubs to deal with the issue, warning that “it is inevitable that failure to eradicate the number of violent incidents on the pitch that lead to or end in brawls will result in serious injury or fatality before too long. We cannot allow this to happen within our game.”
They concluded by saying: “The league will be decisive when faced with such incidents, players that are involved in an incident that leads to a game being abanonded or leading to a brawl will be severely punished with a mandatory six-week suspension.
“A club fine of €500 and a six-point deduction will be imposed for the first offence. A subsequent offence will see the team relegated by at least one division. Any further incidents will result in that team being removed from the league completely and ultimately the club.”
