Legal Issues
Legal issues, in any case, are usually the facts that can be used to file a case. They act as the legal evidence which cannot be disputed by the law. In the case presented where we have hockey team fans in a game, the legal cases are where the home-team fans throw mugs of beer to the visiting team’s bench. This is illegal because the reason for the throwing of the mugs is unexplained which leaves the visiting teams with questions. The home-team fans throw beer mugs twice to the visiting teams with no reason for their action. This is a legal issue that can be used against the visiting teams as it is clear and evidence that the reason for their action is not justified. Another legal issue in the case is where the visiting team assistant coach traces the fan who threw the second beer mug and assault him physically to the extent of sustaining injuries.
The other legal issue is where the team fans are involved in assaulting the assistant coach as a way to protect one of their own. Assault is a legal issue that involved the assistant coach and the team fans. This left the fan and the assistant coach with injuries that could be used as court evidence. Despite the fact that the assistant coach used assault as a form of self-defence, it became a legal issue as he took matters into his hands rather than informing the security to handle the case. The other team fans who assaulted the assistant coach did it to protect their colleague from the physical assault by the assistant coach.
Liable parties
From the incident, the legally liable people for the issues presented were the facility or event security, the team management, home-team fans and assistant couch. The event security is liable because their main work is to ensure security for all the people who are in the event. When the home-team fans were throwing beer mugs to the visiting team’s bench, the event security could be the first to identify the action and warn the home-team fans. This could have prevented all the incidents that happened after the fan was spotted by the assistant couch. The event security should always be available and responsible for any illegal action that happens during the game.
The team management is also liable because it could have monitored the functionality of event security. The team management could have ensured that the event security is available all the time to control the fans as well as the players. This could have minimized the chance of having such an incident where the home-team fans threw beer mugs to the visiting team bench. The fact that two fans threw beer mugs to the visiting team twice shows that the event security were nowhere in the event. This triggered the assistant couch to trace the fan who threw the mug and took action by himself as a way of self-defence. If the team management was keen on all the happenings of the event, they could have realized that the event security were not functional which led to the entire incident that happened. The team management could also replace the event security to protect the people who were in the event.
The home-team fans were also liable for what happened in the incident. This is because were it not for their action of throwing beer mugs to the visiting team bench; the assistant couch could not have got furious to the extent of assaulting the fan. The assault was a form of self-defence which the assist couch used to protect his team from such cases. The home-team fans assaulted the assistant couch because they wanted to revenge after the physical assault if their colleague. All this was caused by the home-team fans action which makes them liable for the incident that happened.
The assistant coach of the visiting team was also liable for the incident because he could have reported the to the police if event security rather than assaulting the fan. This could have controlled the incident of assault because the event security could take disciplinary action against the fan which could not cause assaults. The assistant coach could also report to the management team because they are responsible for maintaining peace during the game and taking precautive actions to the fans who misbehaved in the event. This makes the assistant coach liable in the incident because he could have used the authority in the event to avoid assaults.
Risk Management Concerns
From the incident, the risk management concerns included are physical assault and injuries that occurred during the events. Throwing mugs to the visiting team’s bench was a risk concern as it could harm the fans who were sitting on the bench. Engaging in a fight where the assistant coach was involved in a physical assault with the fan was a risk management concern. This is because the fan ended up in a hospital with severe injuries while the assistant coach also had a nose injury. Fighting during a game event poses a risk to many individuals which require proper security and management. The coach should not go on the crowd as he should be concentrating on the game itself. The fact that he went to the crowd increased the risk of him being battled by the crowd which makes it a risk management concern. There should be boundaries between the players and the crowd which should not be interrupted in any case while the game is on.
What could have been done to prevent the Incident
To prevent the incident, the event security could have ensured that all the fans behave well while watching the game. If the event security were doing their expected job, they could have identified the fans who threw the beer mug for the first time and discipline him to avoid the second case. The fans took advantage of the ineffective security officer which is why they had the confidence to throw beer mugs to visitors’ bench. The visitors’ assistant coach could also have reported the matter to the management team or to the security to avoid the incident. This is because his action of assaulting the fan led to physical injuries to both the fan and the coach. He could have avoided the incident by involving the management team in solving the nuisance case rather than taking the case in his hand and assaulting the fan.
The facilities management could have avoided the incident by ensuring that the playground and the crowd are well separated. This could have prevented the assistant couch from reaching the fans and causing assault. The home-team and the visiting-team should be separated completely and at a distance where the facility management can ensure that they are not near each other. The facility manager could have ensured security to all the fans and team players by ensuring that event security is all over and effective. This could have avoided the incident. The home fans could not be allowed to take a beer while spectating because that might be the cause of the incident. The fact that the fans were hyped and overjoyed made them throw the beer mugs to the visitors’ bench. The facility management could have enforced rules that all the fans should be disciplined with no throwing objects. This could have avoided the incident where the fan and the assistant coach were physically injured.
Law enforcement is another way that could have been used by the management where laws could be used to define the behavior of fans and players. If the management had set rules on the behavior of fans, the fans could not throw beer mugs to the visitor teams. Enforcing laws could also guide the assistant coach on steps to take in case of such an action which could have prevented him from assaulting the fan.
League-wide in-game practices should be well defined so that each of the teams and the fans can know their expectations while watching the game. If the team management had defined practices, the home-team fans and the visiting-team fans could have avoided the incident by maintaining a good relationship. The games practices guide how people should behave as well as the action to take when confronted by a legal issue.
Appropriate Law
The appropriate law for this case is human rights acts which state that all individuals have the right not to be tortured. Torture includes any inhumane treatment like physical assault that leads to physical injuries. Human rights act also require that people have the personal liberty that should not be interfered with. In this situation, the visitor-teams were deprived off their liberty where the home-team fans threw beer mugs to the visitors-team. The human right act protects individuals from being tortured and assaulted. In the case, the assistant coach was involved in an assault with the fans which led to physical injuries. Human rights act is the most appropriate because the incident involved deprivation if rights as a human where the visitor-team hard the right to have a peaceful moment while in the event.
The law is specifically applicable to this incident because it will protect the individuals in the event from harm and physical injuries. The law protects individuals and identifies that all individuals should not be treated in any inhumane way. When looking at the reaction of the assistant coach, the way he battled the fan was so inhumane to the extent of being taken to a hospital. The home-fans also battled the assistant coach to the extent of sustaining a broken nose. The visitor-team had the right to spectate without being interfered with. But they were disturbed by the home-team fans which deprived them the right of space. Human right acts require that all individuals are respected together with the space they are in which is the reason I feel this is the appropriate law for the incident.