We need a tough approach to make justice prevail and, also

Frans Timmermans declared: “We need a tough approach to make justice prevail and, also, because sports should not be damaged by the violence of hooligans.” These words burn with urgency, for they remind us that the arenas of play, where the spirit of humanity should rise in joy and harmony, can too easily be torn down by chaos and cruelty. Justice must stand as a shield, not only for the laws of the land, but for the purity of those gatherings where nations and peoples come together, united by the universal language of sports.

For what is sport, if not a sacred ritual of human striving? It is a contest of skill, courage, and endurance, meant to elevate the soul and bind strangers into fellowship. Yet, when the shadow of violence falls upon it, when hooligans—those enslaved by rage and disorder—turn fields of honor into battlegrounds of hate, then the very meaning of sport is poisoned. Timmermans calls upon us, not for softness, not for indulgence, but for firmness, for a tough approach, so that the torch of athletic joy may not be extinguished by the storms of brutality.

History bears witness to the price of neglect. Recall the tragedy of Heysel Stadium in 1985, when what was to be a glorious European Cup final between Juventus and Liverpool became a night of terror. Hooligan violence caused a wall to collapse, crushing and killing thirty-nine innocent fans, and scarring the soul of football for generations. The game was played, but the spirit of sport was broken that day. This is the living proof of Timmermans’ warning: if justice and order do not stand guard, the beauty of sport can be desecrated by violence and despair.

The ancients, too, understood this. In Olympia, where the Greeks gathered for their sacred games, truces were declared, wars were paused, and the sword was set aside for the sake of peace. To break that truce was to dishonor not only one’s city, but the gods themselves. Even in the age of warriors, they knew that sport must be protected, that it must rise above the bloodlust of battle. The spirit of those games survives in Timmermans’ call: to shield sport with justice, so it may remain a lamp of peace amid the darkness of conflict.

This teaching does not speak only to governments or guardians of law. It speaks to all of us. Each spectator, each citizen, bears the duty to reject violence, to call out injustice, and to preserve the sanctity of the fields, courts, and stadiums where human greatness is displayed. To turn away in silence, to excuse brutality as mere passion, is to let the sickness spread. The tough approach begins with each of us, in our courage to defend what is noble against what is base.

Yet Timmermans’ words are not without hope. They affirm that justice can prevail, that the scourge of hooliganism can be overcome if met with resolve. Sport can be restored to its rightful place as a temple of unity, where rivals compete fiercely but honorably, and where victory and defeat alike are celebrated in peace. To be tough is not to be cruel—it is to be steadfast, unwavering in our defense of what is good.

Therefore, the lesson is clear: protect what is sacred. Stand firm against violence, whether in stadiums, in cities, or in the arenas of your daily life. Do not permit anger to corrupt joy, nor hatred to poison fellowship. Let your actions echo justice—speak against wrongs, uphold peace, and be fearless in your defense of harmony. For as Timmermans teaches, only with a tough approach can justice prevail, and only then can the shining spirit of sports endure, unbroken, for generations to come.

So I say to you: let justice be your armor, let peace be your weapon, and let courage be your guide. Guard the fields of play, for they are not merely games—they are mirrors of humanity, and through them the world remembers what it means to rise together, and not fall apart.