LAW, STATE AND PUBLIC POLICIES: THE INSTITUTIONAL RESPONSE TO VIOLENCE IN FOOTBALL

Abstract

The article critically examines the institutional response of the Brazilian State to violence associated with football, with particular attention to organized fan groups as urban, cultural, and political phenomena. Grounded in critical theory, urban sociology, and human rights perspectives, the text argues that football-related violence cannot be understood in isolation or solely as the result of actions by “dangerous groups.” Instead, it must be interpreted as an expression of structural inequalities affecting peripheral youth, state control over bodies and territories, and the stigmatization of specific social groups. The first section analyzes the national legal framework for security in sporting events, focusing on the Supporter Statute (2003), its subsequent reforms, and the General Sports Law (2023). The study demonstrates that, although these instruments represent normative progress—particularly regarding the recognition of supporters’ rights—their practical implementation is marked by selectivity, low effectiveness, federative fragmentation, and a disproportionate emphasis on repressive measures such as bans, collective sanctions, compulsory registration, and technological surveillance. The second section discusses the actions of public institutions—including prosecutors, courts, police forces, and administrative agencies—highlighting that symbolic criminalization, media production of the “violent fan,” and selective social control remain dominant. The Brazilian State rarely engages organized fan groups as legitimate subjects of participation or preventive policy-making. Finally, the article analyzes the case of Sergipe, characterized by restrictive administrative orders, the absence of permanent community mediation programs, and weak institutional coordination. The text concludes by arguing that public policies for football must go beyond control and repression, incorporating mediation, peacebuilding, civic education, and meaningful social participation by fan communities. It thus advocates for a democratic security paradigm in sports, grounded in human rights and structural conflict transformation.