The Galician Handball Federation (FGBM) has decided that all official regional matches will be played without spectators until mid-January. This decision comes as a direct result of a serious act of violence during a youth match last weekend.
It was on Sunday when youth teams from Sanxenxo Balonmán and Rasoeiro faced off. According to Diario de Santiago, one of the players’ fathers attacked a relative of one of the referees during the match. The incident has sparked strong reactions and prompted the federation to take action.
After a meeting between the clubs, the referees’ association, and the board of the Galician Handball Federation, it was decided that all official regional handball matches held until January 18, 2025, will be played behind closed doors.
– We do not want security in our sport to be a problem; we do not want insults, protests, or acts of violence to be normalized; we do not want anyone to have to risk their physical integrity to prevent such worrying incidents as the one that occurred; we do not want to have to educate adults or be forced to demand common sense and respect. We only seek to promote education and enjoyment for our registered players and for all those who visit the halls, knowing that we are role models for our youth, writes the Galician Handball Federation in a statement on its website.
Source: Diario de Santiago and Federación Galega de Balonmán