Once again the problem of pyro has been the topic of conversation in the League Of Ireland as the new season has gotten up and running again. Bohemians just the latest club to put out a statement regarding the use of pyro inside League Of Ireland grounds.
But what can be done to stop the use of pyro in the League of Ireland or is there a safe way of holding pyro displays. In this article we will be discussing these points with our regular LOI Zone Contributors to give there take on the use of Pyro in the League Of Ireland.
Matt O’Rourke (Shelbourne Supporter)
Hello, this is Matt O’Rourke, you may know me from some of my match previews and
reviews on LOI Talk. I have been asked to give my opinion on pyrotechnics at League of
Ireland games as part of a joint article between the writers at LOI Talk.
The majority of clubs’ fan bases have pyro users. I do believe pyrotechnics are valuable to
the culture of our league, as they show the passion of our supporters coming week after
week , win, loss or draw. Although I believe pyro is great, it must be used in moderation.
What happened at Richmond Park was unacceptable. Whether it was a player , steward,
whoever, pyro shouldn’t ever get to a distance that could harm someone. In the opening
round we saw a Bohemians fan throw a flare onto the pitch, which struck a Bohemians
player.
I can agree with why the FAI think pyrotechnics can be dangerous, but the FAI regularly
promotes the league using photos and videos of pyro in stands. Although I agree with why, I
think it’s up to the FAI to make it safe and not the clubs. There should be measures
introduced that don’t kill our atmosphere in stands, such as safe areas to dispose of pyro?
Maybe have a dedicated area to use pyrotechnics? The FAI can’t use our atmosphere to try
to promote the league while trying to kill our fan culture!
And to touch on what was mentioned in an Irish Independent article, it is absolutely
ridiculous that the FAI are considering punishing clubs with point reductions for the use of
pyrotechnics. That is absolutely absurd!
It’s another case of the LOI fans vs The FAI, which is sad to see. I’d like to thank you for
reading my input on the pyro subject.
Eoin Taylor (Bohemians Supporter)
For me pyro is fine if used in the correct way For me they should be used in moderation and not thrown on the pitch, it creates atmosphere and gets the league out there especially on the likes of YouTube etc. But as things stand now the league of Ireland is really looking to cut it out all together which is disappointing too see but you can see where there coming from, Protecting the players and the fans is the most important thing and what happened in Inchicore a few weeks ago wasn’t acceptable. Moral of it is if you have a pyro make sure you know how to use it and make sure you do not throw it at anyone or anything.
Union_Keyblade(Sligo Rovers Fan)
My opinion on flares in our league is basic I believe they should be allowed as long as they used safely and kept to designated sections. What I mean by this is they should be kept in designated ultras sections and not be used in stands where families sit as they would scare children. I believe only people who know how to use them safely should be allowed as a lot of the time people with no experience use them and get afraid and end up throwing them into the pitch. I think their should be stadium bans for anyone who breaks the safe use of pyro and not an outright banning of fan culture
Conor Barry
Pyro in LOI is a heavily debated topic amongst fans, people who like it and people who dislike the use. I will give my opinion and thoughts on the future of pyrotechnics in the League Of Ireland.
Personally Im in favour of pyro, with safe use. Recently there has been a substantial surge in pyrotechnics, particularly down to the FAI’s way of handling it, making campaigns against pyro. Personally I have noticed very young people using pyrotechnics, majority of which under the age of 18, also using it recklessly. People lob the pyro onto the pitch, causing team’s substantial costs in repairs, or dropping it at peoples feet and kicking it around, which poses a serious risk to injury. Pyro has become a staple to fan culture in the league of Ireland, and it’s not dying, more on the rise, but things need to be done to keep it safe. People raised the idea to have fan groups meet with the FAI, to enquire about a safer way to use pyro, and to have clubs onboard with this idea. People also recommended having a section of fan sections set for pyro, with sand filled buckets at their feet in order to safely dispose of the burnt out flare or smoke bomb. Pyro is a spectacle and arguably adds more atmosphere to games, but the only way to move forward is to encourage safe use of pyro. The Bohs vs Pats pyro incident put the limelight on unsafe use of pyro amongst fan groups, which has turned a number of fans away, which affects club income and attendance.
Changes are needed for pyro use in LOI, and we want your thoughts, opinions and feedback for pyro use.
Cian (Admin) (Treaty United Fan)
When Pyro is used right in cant be an amazing display and no doubt it does attract younger supporters to games. But when it is used in a dangerous manner there is just no defending it. We have seen from leagues in Europe that pyro can be used safely so it can be done. It just needs alot of co-operation from the FAI and all the relevant authority’s.
Thank you for reading make sure to comment your opinions and to share this piece