The Youth and Sports Committee convened under the chairmanship of Representative Simon Abi Ramia and the participation of the deputies: Ghassan Atallah, Wadah Al-Sadiq, Yanall Al-Solh, Elias Hanaksh, Raed Pro and the apology of the deputies Jihad Pakradouni, Pierre Bou Assi, Elias Estephan and Razi Al-Hajj, in the presence of the representative of the Ministry of Youth and Sports, Mohamed Oweidat and the Chairman of the Facilities Board The General Sports Club, Riyad Al-Sheikha, the President of the Football Association, Hashem Haidar, and Colonel Wassim Saliba, representative of the Internal Security Forces and commander of the Jounieh Platoon, Lieutenant Colonel Ghattas Musa.
After the meeting, MP Abi Ramia said, “The committee discussed riots in soccer stadiums that occur against the background of sectarian chants and acts of violence that accompany some sports matches. After listening and discussion, we put forward proposals to limit these incidents.”
Abi Ramia thanked the Football Association for the punitive measures it takes against those responsible for riots, including players, clubs and spectators, and the security forces that make great efforts to maintain security in and around the stadiums. Remember security.
He stressed “the importance of developing the measures taken to put an end to this scourge through the formation of a committee between the Ministry of Youth and Sports, the Parliamentary Youth and Sports Committee, the Football Association and representatives of the Internal Security Forces to develop a procedural implementation plan that limits the security and sectarian chaos in sports stadiums,” pointing out that ” We may resort to penalties against individual fans who carry out people’s actions, break or shout sectarian chants, and refer them to the judiciary, similar to the measures taken in Britain to maintain the security of stadiums. These measures are taken in cooperation with the administrative committees of clubs, in addition to holding awareness seminars, which leads to an increase in the level of awareness until that. Sport creates a spirit of love and harmony.
Abi Ramia discussed, in contact with the President of the Basketball Association, Akram Al-Halabi, the naturalization of the American basketball player, Omri Spellman, to participate in the Lebanese national team matches for the World Championship, due to the positive aspects of this issue for the national basketball team, knowing that the naturalization of the player has a legal and constitutional dimension.