Security at water polo matches is no longer provided by the police but by private security guards engaged by the swimming association.
The arrangement raised eyebrows over the weekend when a minor incident broke out during the crunch top-of-the-table match between rivals Sliema and Neptunes.
Sliema supporters took umbrage at what they deemed to be the unprofessional behaviour of one of the security guards who ejected a supporter from the stands.
Eyewitnesses questioned whether the security personnel were adequately trained to handle crowds.
Joe Caruana Curran, president of the Aquatic Sports Association that organises the national water polo leagues, played down the incident and defended the association’s decision to engage private security, a sector that has gained notoriety because of the heavy-handed way some bouncers behaved at nightclubs.
“The arrangement has been in place since the start of the season and, on the whole, I have had more positive comments than negative ones,” he said when contacted yesterday.
He explained that the incident did not involve rival supporters but was caused by someone who threw two plastic cups of beer towards a security guard. A minor commotion followed when the guards rushed to the stands to eject the supporter. “The responsible person was thrown out and, unfortunately, a woman was injured in the process. She was taken to hospital but was discharged,” Mr Caruana Curran said.
He described the incident as the actions of “a stupid person” and pinned it down to drunkenness. “Unfortunately, this happens when people turn up completely drunk. They should have been stopped at the gate. It won’t happen again and anybody kicked out of the pool will not be allowed in. We will be informing the clubs of this.”
When asked about the appropriateness of engaging private security, Mr Caruana Curran said that at this time of the year it was always difficult to engage police officers at the height of the festa season.
Eight security guards were engaged for the Sliema vs Neptunes match that was watched by about 500 supporters.
Mr Caruana Curran said he had copies of the licences of all guards on duty at the national pool. “There are strict orders that nobody should be manhandled.
“The guards have always taken the correct action in a correct way and people have generally listened to them when they drew their attention to offensive language or behaviour.”
He said security companies were authorised to hold people until the police arrived on the scene if the situation necessitated such action.
However, for the play-off matches that start on August 22, when rivalry reaches its peak, the association will also have the police present alongside the security guards.
ksansone@timesofmalta.com