“Football fans against violence” is the name of the project in Colombia, the importance of which was once again demonstrated in a tragic way: Before a football match in Bogota, Oscar Eduardo Sandino, a member of the partner organization FJMBN, was stabbed in the heart by a fan of the opposing team.
In the run-up to a football match between the “Millionarios” from Bogota and Club Deportivo Cali, Oscar Eduardo Sandino, a member of our partner organization FJMBN (Football Fans Against Violence), was stabbed in the heart. Hours before the match, his fan group from Bogota was attacked by local fans from Cali with stones, wooden clubs and knives. Four young people, including Oscar’s brother, were injured. At the hospital where the injured were taken after the attack, Oscar was pronounced dead.
The family demands justice
The police responded to this clash and deployed 2,000 police officers to prevent further riots. One suspect has since been arrested and questioned. Oscar’s mother, who was also interviewed in the TV report, emphasized Oscar’s community service and wished for justice: “The perpetrators should be held accountable.” These wishes usually remain unfulfilled in Colombia. Our partner organization FJMBN has not yet issued a statement.
Commitment to non-violent sport
Oscar was an active member of the terre des hommes schweiz partner organization FJMBN and was involved in “barrismo social”, an alternative to violent fan culture. The message of this commitment is: non-violent and socially committed fan culture – football is sport, not fighting.
Awareness-raising campaign in the Suba district
A few days before his death, Oscar spoke to television at an FJMBN event in the Suba district (Bogota) (see TV report below). At the “barra social en Suba” (“social football fan club in Suba”) event, a “people’s kitchen” was set up, bands played on a stage and the population of Suba was integrated into the campaign through a garbage collection campaign. In this way, the fan group wanted to show that they are part of the community and that the young people are committed to the concerns of the residents of Suba.
terre des hommes schweiz is saddened to learn of the death of Oscar Sandino and extends our condolences to his family.
