Celtic goalkeeper Viljami Sinisalo is calling for urgent steps to be taken after a nasty scene at Ibrox. When the player was hit by a missile during a heated match, it underscored the growing necessity for these measures. Emotions were high when Hamza Igamane scored a dramatic late winner for Rangers. The noise was deafening after the pulsating 1-1 draw with Celtic last week. Sinisalo said that “30 or 40 objects” were thrown onto the pitch, which puts player safety into serious question.
The outcome is the latest of a frequent pattern of violence at soccer games in Scotland. Page 12 Sinisalo was struck in the leg, and he described his shock at what an escalation like this would have meant. “I see some mention that there was a bottle thrown at me,” he stated. He tempered that with an explanation that in addition to lighters, vapes, and coins were used in the assault as well.
This is not the first time players have been subjected to such threats at games. Just over three years ago, Celtic’s Joe Hart discovered broken glass in his goalmouth. This alarming find underscored the antagonism that has marked past games. Both Greg Taylor and Arne Engels have previously experienced similar incidents. In January, Engels was hit by a coin, and Taylor was pelted with an object during a game.
“Sinisalo wanted to stress the seriousness of the topic when explaining what being hit by a glass bottle means. ‘When you think of it, let’s say that glass bottle that was on the pitch hits me or hits someone else, what happens then? What if it hits you in the eye and you can’t play football after that? What happens then? That’s the questions that we need answers for,’ he said.”
Clips from several matches have circulated, depicting missiles being thrown at players and officials. Photos from this weekend’s match even showed a half bottle of wine laying in Sinisalo’s penalty box. This phenomenon, unfortunately, encourages the dangerous and perilous behavior exhibited by these fans. “I know it’s not the first time it’s happened,” he noted, referencing previous incidents involving other players and staff members who have endured similar attacks.
This raises grave questions about the wellbeing of players. Further, it puts at risk the core tenets of football as a game to be played. “I don’t know how people identify who it is because there’s a lot of people obviously throwing them. I’m not speaking 30, 40 objects right here that was on the pitch. The scene was so chaotic Sinisalo noted that it wasn’t only one of those people in the crash,” Sinisalo said.
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