ISL 2017: Chennaiyin FC and Bengaluru FC come together to condemn police violence on fans
What's the story?
After a video of a policeman lathi-charging a Chennaiyin FC fan during the ISL match between Bengaluru FC and the Super Machans went viral, security at the Sree Kanteeveera stadium has come under a lot of flak.
In light of the controversial incident, Chennaiyin FC have tonight issued an official statement which ensured that the safety of the fans is the number one priority for every club.
The statement also mentions that Chennaiyin FC and Bengaluru FC have taken a pledge together to guarantee the safety of the fans, irrespective of them being the home or the away supporters.
In case you didn't know...
Chennaiyin FC moved level on points with the Blues with a 2-1 win over their rivals as the first South Indian derby went in favour of the 2015 champions. Dhanpal Ganesh of Chennaiyin FC scored the winner in the 88th minute before Sunil Chhetri had equalised for the home side in what was a thrilling ISL encounter.
The heart of the matter
But a video of a fan being allegedly beaten up by a policeman in the stands when he was celebrating Chennaiyin FC's win, took away all the sheen from one of the best matches of ISL 2017. In the statement released by both the clubs on Instagram, the two sides revealed that they have been in constant touch with the authorities to avoid a repeat of the shameful incident that happened in Bengaluru.
What's next?
The supporters of both the clubs came together on social media to criticise the incident which has instantly made the return fixture between these two sides a one to watch out for.
Author's take
Both the clubs have done well to come together and issue a public statement to bring peace to the minds of supporters cheering their favourite teams in the stadiums. The need of the hour is to educate the police authorities at the ground of the fan culture prevalent in football around the globe.