By Kyle Murphy
Rangers' pyrotechnic display against Hibernian. Photo: Callum Lindsay
Pyrotechnics is a fascinating way to light up a football match; to many, it's an art form that dazzles the millions of football fans across the world. Despite this, it's a situation which those in high-level positions in Scotland don't agree with. Both the SFA and SPFL class pyrotechnics as "dangerous and illegal", a stance that could impact the state of atmospheres at football matches.
However, to combat this, an idea for the SFA and SPFL could be to take inspiration from the safeguarding that is used in other European countries.
Norway has been a major activist in bringing pyrotechnics into football since the Norwegian government brought in new laws to assist this. Many clubs in the country have shown that matches can be safe when using pyrotechnics, as long as there are many safety measures installed.
The Norwegian Supporters Alliance (NSA) is a collection of football fans who campaign for constant improvements to the fan experience at matches.
Ole Kristian Sandvik, a spokesperson for the NSA, discussed the overall feeling Norwegian fans had before bringing this method in.
He said: "Norwegian football supporters for the last 20 years have worked to get pyro at games. A lot of supporters were positive and were wanting a less strict framework to use pyro during games. You aren't allowed to use legal pyro during the game but before and after is completely fine."
A concern for a lot of people involved in Scottish football was the protocols that are used to keep fans safe. However, with very few incidents occurring in Norway, Sandvik feels it is a lot simpler than many believe it to be.
"The methods used are different with each club," he said.
"However, at my club (Valerenga) we often give out flyers before a game telling supporters that there will be pyro. If you don't like the smoke, we ask you to contact the SLO (sporting liaison officer) or staff so that we can help rearrange your seat to a different part of the stadium.
"There's also constant dialogue with the club and fire departments so that they are notified that pyro will be used. Some clubs will advise that there should be a safe distance between each fan whereas other clubs can trust supporters to do what they want."
With these methods, many can see it has been an overwhelming success in Norway, creating a fantastic and electric atmosphere on matchday. Sandvik discussed how using safe pyro has benefitted every club in Norway and how it has managed to bring a new generation of fans.
He said: "The atmosphere has improved massively with safe pyro, especially at a lot of the smaller clubs who use it more than ever. We can also see after the pandemic, a lot of clubs have had a better recruitment of younger supporters and a part of that is down to safe pyro.
"The reasons people go to football games is like a package of a lot of things and pyro is one of them."
The current standard of using pyrotechnics in Scotland is not a steady one, with clubs repeatedly getting fined, therefore leading to the suspensions of many fan groups. The majority of Scottish football fans are eager for pyrotechnics to be a part of matches as they believe it helps create a greater atmosphere in the stadium.
Speaking about whether he feels the method used in Norway can work safely in Scotland, Sandvik said: "I'm really positive about this situation. I think a lot of people in the FA (Football Associations) around Europe look to Norway and try to see what they can learn from them.
"In the long term, it always helps to talk to each other and if the supporters talk with the clubs and the FA, I think you should find your solution to your problem.
"A lot of countries have come to the realisation that pyro is going to be in the stands whether they like it or not so let's try and make it safe at least."
With the evidence highlighted by Sandvik, pyrotechnics shouldn't be a topic that is dismissed easily by the footballing authorities in Scotland. We can see how successful the methods used in Norway have been and it has certainly increased the excitement around attending football matches.
Trust is a major factor in guaranteeing the use of safe pyro at football matches and once that is established, fans in Scotland will be able to showcase their talents to the rest of the world without worrying that future implications will follow.
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