Immediately before the top match against Red Bull Salzburg, LASK’s clinch with its own fans has reached its climax for the time being
Even after parting ways with Thomas Sageder, LASK can’t rest. The long-simmering conflict with its own fans reached its climax recently after the black-and-white supporters caused a five-minute interruption during the away match against Sturm Graz (0:1) on Sunday by throwing detergent tabs in a curious manner. The following day, some fans had turned the access road to the stadium on the Gugl into a “washing line” by throwing out washing machine housings.
LASK responded on Tuesday by banning five members of the “Landstrassler” fan club from the stadium, while another ban was issued to a member of the “Initiative Schwarz-Weiß”. “The image presented in Graz is in clear contradiction to our fan culture and our value system,” the club explained its actions on its homepage on Thursday evening. “LASK therefore condemns the incidents in the strongest possible terms and, due to the current situation, felt compelled to exercise its domiciliary rights and impose sanctions. “
“Landstrassler” speak of “unsustainable attack “
The “Landstrassler” had previously criticized the “arbitrary” bans in the strongest terms and called them an “untenable attack” on their own fan scene. According to the fan club, one of those affected is even currently on a semester abroad. However, this should not change the house ban, as LASK emphasized: “As a result of the masking of the persons significantly involved, the penalties were to be pronounced against those members who hold official functions and thus bear the main responsibility. “
The “Landstrassler” have therefore called for a 90-minute boycott before the top match against Red Bull Salzburg. Although LASK says it “regrets” this step, the sanctions imposed are “without alternative in order to protect the values of the club and all stadium visitors, especially families and children”.
A boycott is not entirely new for the LASK players, as there has already been no organized support from the fan stands several times this season. The background to the conflict is the excessive influence of the economically valuable sponsor “BWT” from the fans’ point of view, which can be seen in the pink away shirts, among other things.
