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An un-Jordanian display

Feb 18,2019 - Last updated at Feb 18,2019

The despicable and violent spectacle that ended last week's football match between the Salt football club and the Wihdat club should be openly condemned, and above all, not tolerated.

It is perfectly understandable that football fans get all excited and emotional when their respective teams are playing against other teams, but to reach the level of violence and public disturbance that ensued after the two teams ended their match is so un-Jordanian.

True, both teams were fined and censored for resorting to violence against one another, but such scenes have become too frequent to be just brushed aside and tolerated for much longer. It seems that there is still a simmering hostility between various geographically located football teams that requires more attention by the government, the respective geographic leadership of the areas where the teams belong to and their supporters.

The overtones of the recent Salt-Wihdat clashes may even suggest something more deep-rooted and sinister. It is high time that this “disease” is addressed at the root level by all stakeholders.

Jordan is one country and Jordanians of all backgrounds and ethnic origins are equal before the law. Jordan is not the type of country where people are treated on the basis of where they originally come from. National origin is never a criterion for judging people in Jordanian society.

If this problem continues and reaches a crisis point then the entire country would end up paying the price. It is much better to recognise it and nip it in the bud before it gets to worse levels.

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