A recent study from Malawi has stirred controversy by suggesting a potential link between football fandom and criminal activity.
The study, titled “Jerseys of Crime: A Sociological Analysis of Football Fan Affiliation and Thievery in Malawi,” conducted by researcher John Hatman, explores a recurring pattern where individuals arrested for theft and other crimes are often found wearing football jerseys—particularly those of Arsenal.
The study acknowledges that criminals have been found wearing jerseys of various teams but delves deeper into whether Arsenal supporters are disproportionately involved in such incidents or if this trend extends across other fan bases.
“While recognizing instances involving jerseys of other teams, this research delves into the possible link between football fandom and criminal activity on a broader scale.
"Through an interdisciplinary approach incorporating sociology, criminology, and psychology, we aim to identify patterns, motivations, and determine whether this phenomenon is unique to Arsenal fans or indicative of a wider trend,” states the study’s abstract.
Adding weight to the discussion, the research references an incident in Uganda last year, where police arrested eight Arsenal supporters for holding an unauthorized victory parade in Jinja after their team’s dramatic 3-2 win over Manchester United.
The celebrations, which disrupted traffic for nearly two hours, prompted law enforcement intervention. While seven of the fans were later released with warnings, one, Dennis Waahe, remained in custody due to an outstanding warrant for allegedly embezzling UGX 180 million from Iganga district six months earlier.
Authorities were quick to clarify that Waahe’s arrest had no connection to his football allegiance, dismissing claims that he was targeted for being an Arsenal fan.
Football enthusiasts and academics are questioning whether the connection between Arsenal jerseys and crime is a genuine social trend or merely a coincidence.
Meanwhile, Arteta’s side return to Premier League action on Sunday against Chelsea, however, the Gunners are 15 points adrift of Liverpool atop the league and face an uphill battle.
Arsenal might throw everything they have into a deep run in the Champions League.
Mikel Arteta was pleased that Arsenal advanced to the Champions League quarter-final, on Wednesday night.
Oleksandr Zinchenko and Declan Rice twice put the Gunners ahead against PSV, but Ivan Perisic and Couhaib Driouech pegged back the hosts.
Although it ended 2-2 on the night, the Gunners’ 7-1 victory at PSV last week meant the draw at the Emirates Stadium did not prevent the Premier League side from progressing to the competition’s last eight for a consecutive season.
In a different Fixture, Antonio Rudiger emerged as the hero for Real Madrid, scoring the decisive penalty kick in a 4-2 shootout victory over Atletico Madrid. The win came after a tense derby match ended 2-2 on aggregate, with the teams tied 1-1 after extra time.
Atletico Madrid took the lead within 30 seconds of the match, as Conor Gallagher capitalized on a deflected cross by Rodrigo De Paul. Real Madrid had a chance to take the lead in the 70th minute, but Vinicius Junior missed a penalty kick, blasting it high over the Atletico goal.
The match remained intense, with both teams creating scoring opportunities. However, Real Madrid ultimately prevailed in the penalty shootout, with Rudiger scoring the winning kick.
The shootout had drama, especially after VAR disallowed Julian Alvarez' spot kick for taking two touches; a hugely controversial call.
Real Madrid's win set up a quarterfinal matchup against Arsenal.
