Licensed clinical psychologist and professor at West Chester University in Pennsylvania, Lynn Zubernis, PhD., told Psychology Today supporting a sports team can provide a sense of community and “is related to higher social self-esteem and lower levels of loneliness and alienation”.
She said fans often see the team as an extension of themselves, bringing strong emotions.
“The vast majority of fans will follow social norms and deal with losses without infringing on anyone else’s experience.
“However, there is a darker side to fandom for a small number of fans, who will diverge from those norms and engage in abusive or aggressive behaviour.
“Researchers have defined these 'dysfunctional fans' as having impaired social functioning and engaging in behaviours such as confronting others and complaining. Dysfunctional fans are more likely to behave aggressively at sporting events, shouting insults to rival fans, insulting referees, or even engaging in violent acts.”
Joanna Pozzulo, chancellor's professor in psychology at Carleton University, and Emily Pica, associate professor in Psychological Science and Counselling at Austin Peay State University, told The Conversation abuse in sport should not be tolerated.
“Emotional abuse is an underreported form of abuse that occurs across all levels of sport. Emotional abuse can be in the form of shaming, insults, and threats and can be perpetrated by coaches, team members and parents.”
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POLL | Are fans right to vent their frustrations at their team’s coaching staff?
Image: Lefty Shivambu/Gallo Images
Angry and chaotic scenes at the Royal Bafokeng Stadium in Rustenburg over the weekend have thrown the spotlight on fan behaviour.
Kaizer Chiefs coach Arthur Zwane was pelted with objects after his side's loss to SuperSport United, leaving him with an injury to his eye.
The 1-0 defeat ended Chiefs' slim chance of qualifying for continental football, and drew to an end another disappointing season for the Soweto giants.
Gatvol fans made their feelings towards the team known as Zwane made his way to the tunnel. He was escorted by police and security, who tried to deflect the missiles aimed at the coach.
Zwane was unable to make it to the post-match press conference, but assistant coach Dillon Sheppard said this was not to avoid accountability for the loss.
“It’s got nothing to do with him not being here. I don’t know what happened in the incident. I saw him in the dressing room putting ice on his eye, I will have to find out the details when I get back to the dressing room,” Sheppard explained.
The incident sparked strong debate, with some claiming fans have a right to vent their frustration when they lose. Others said it was important to remember “it is just a game”.
Licensed clinical psychologist and professor at West Chester University in Pennsylvania, Lynn Zubernis, PhD., told Psychology Today supporting a sports team can provide a sense of community and “is related to higher social self-esteem and lower levels of loneliness and alienation”.
She said fans often see the team as an extension of themselves, bringing strong emotions.
“The vast majority of fans will follow social norms and deal with losses without infringing on anyone else’s experience.
“However, there is a darker side to fandom for a small number of fans, who will diverge from those norms and engage in abusive or aggressive behaviour.
“Researchers have defined these 'dysfunctional fans' as having impaired social functioning and engaging in behaviours such as confronting others and complaining. Dysfunctional fans are more likely to behave aggressively at sporting events, shouting insults to rival fans, insulting referees, or even engaging in violent acts.”
Joanna Pozzulo, chancellor's professor in psychology at Carleton University, and Emily Pica, associate professor in Psychological Science and Counselling at Austin Peay State University, told The Conversation abuse in sport should not be tolerated.
“Emotional abuse is an underreported form of abuse that occurs across all levels of sport. Emotional abuse can be in the form of shaming, insults, and threats and can be perpetrated by coaches, team members and parents.”
TimesLIVE
Support independent journalism by subscribing to the Sunday Times. Just R20 for the first month.
READ MORE:
Fans throw missiles as Chiefs lose
‘We were not good enough,’ Chiefs assistant coach Sheppard concedes after loss to SuperSport
‘Kaizer Chiefs fans can do better’: reactions to Zwane getting pelted with missiles after loss
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