Document Type : Research Paper
Authors
1 Department of Sport Management Faculty of Physical Education & Sport Sciences, University of Tabriz, Tabriz, IRAN
2 Department of Sport Management Faculty of Physical Education & Sport Sciences,University of Tabriz , Tabriz, IRAN
Abstract
Objective: The present study was conducted to examine the lived experience of fans regarding violence in Iranian football stadiums.
Methodology: This research is a qualitative study, applied in terms of purpose, and was conducted using Smith et al.'s interpretative phenomenological analysis method. The research population includes all fans who have experienced football violence through watching football in stadiums. In this study, purposive sampling was conducted among fans of Persepolis, Esteghlal, Sepahan, Tractor, Nassaji Mazandaran, and Foolad Khuzestan clubs, considering the research objective. Using purposive sampling, 70 fans and experts were selected until information saturation was reached, and semi-structured in-depth interviews were used for data collection.
Results: Based on the analysis of qualitative data obtained from interviews with fans of clubs present in the Iranian Premier League on studying fans' lived experience of violence in football stadiums, a total of 55 themes,14 sub-themes, and 4 main themes were extracted and categorized.
Conclusion: The results indicated that the lived experience of fans regarding violence in Iranian football stadiums consisted of themes including factors intensifying violence, the origin of violence, types of violence, and factors reducing violence. By applying the accumulated experience of fans in confronting violence, it is possible, as necessary, to use all resources and determine appropriate preventive policies centered on avoiding violence and highlighting the role of fair play through mass media, to reduce or eliminate this deadly social phenomenon.
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