Indonesia is back in global spotlight following a deadly incident at a football arena that saw 131 people killed and around 300 people injured. The incident broke out Kanjuruhan stadium in the city of Malang in the East Java province shortly after the conclusion of a match on Saturday (01/10) between Arema FC from the city of Malang as the host, and Persebaya, a football club from the neighboring city of Surabaya.

It was reported that Arema’s fans could not accept the 2-3 defeat of their favorite club as the club has never been defeated in their own home turf for 23 years. A deadly riot then broke out, killing and injuring several spectators.

The victims, some of whom were teens and kids, were reported to have died of breathing tear gas and of being trampled to death. Controversy then emerged as to the use of tear gas although local police claimed that the use of tear gas was unavoidable due to the situation that was getting out of hand.

In the wake of the tragedy, the Indonesian government established a special team to investigate the tragedy.

The horrific incident was said among the world’s deadliest football-related disasters besides the 1996 World Cup qualifier between Guatemala and Costa Rica in Guatemala City that claimed more than 80 people people an in April 2001 that killed more than

Irrespective of what really caused the incident with a staggering big number of fatalities as it is still under investigation, there’s an underlying issue that deserves to look into: the increasingly toxic culture of Indonesia’s football.

If we revisit the basic concepts of sport, it is argued that the goodness of sport is divided into three stages. The lowest stage corresponds to the appetite soul in which sport is based on the gaining of material goods through prizes won at competitions. The second stage corresponds to the emotional soul in which sport is based on efforts to seeks fulfilment in the winning of honor and glory.  The greatest and the most superior is the reasonable soul in which sport is no longer necessary to compete with other contestants since it can achieve its fulfilment in perfect execution of movement or exercise and in which the perfect cooperation between reason (soul) and body is attained. At this stage, it is the most important to compete and win over one’s self and this can be achieved by everyone, without regard to their physical abilities in comparison with others.

Simply put, sport, including football, is basically a human effort not only to gain glory and material rewards but also to train and nurture our body and soul. And that sport is a really important part of human lives that its true meaning should always be preserved. Sport has also become entertainment for many people all over the world that its existence cannot be separated from our daily lives.

Unfortunately, several sports, including football have completely lost its true meaning and is now dominated by fanatism – known as hooliganism – and brutality.

The spirit of sportsmanship in Indonesia’s football in particular is now a rarity. Hostility among several sport clubs in Indonesia is not uncommon.

Fans of certain sport clubs are known to treat fans of other clubs as if they are their own worst enemies that need to be crushed and the defeat of their beloved sport club to those clubs is a humiliation that cannot be tolerated. Suffice to say that for those fans, they equate “opponents” with “enemies” – two words that are actually completely different.

The recent incident, albeit the deadliest one in the history of Indonesia’s. football, is not the first one that involves unrests and people killed or injured after a sport match. There have been many unrests and brawls after a football that basically have one common theme: fans being disappointed with the defeat of their favorite club.

And that begs a question: why do some fans consider defeat in a football match that humiliating?

For several fans, their favorite athletes are always expected to win, to play in their peak performance, to always deliver no matter what, to always bring glory. And when the athletes or the club fail to meet their expectations, disappointment and anger – and even violence – ensued.

It goes without saying that athletes are indeed trained and prepared to win and to deliver but one important fact that should not be forgotten is that they are also humans who are not always in their peak performance. And anything can happen in sport. And that winning or losing are parts and parcel of any sport matches.

Losing at a sport match should never be seen as a humiliation but as a noble deed for participating in such a wonderful activity that brings happiness and joy to those who enjoy it. Genuine fans are those who accept graciously what their favorite club deliver, whether it’s a win or a defeat.

The recent tragedy should be a wake-up call of the growing hooliganism in football, perhaps not only in Indonesia but anywhere else in the world. Sport fanatism can be a breeding ground for hostility and violence and eliminate the true noble meaning of sport itself. If anything, fanatism in sport can be as dangerous as religious fanatism that should not be overlooked.