Football and Violent Extremism

This book examines the ways that nationalist leaders and extremist groups have used football to advance their often-violent ideological narratives and to recruit and radicalise young people.

Drawing on applied ethnographic research with the Ultra fan groups of Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH), the book explores the behavioural dynamics of the BiH Ultras both on, and outside of, the football terraces. The book shines important new light on the Ultras' ideology, organisation and youth recruiting strategies, and their connections with other extremist groups. In a country and region divided on ethnic and religious lines, in which far-right and ethno-nationalist groups are a visible presence in politics and society, this book helps us to better understand why, when, and how BiH youth choose to join these groups, and why, when, and how these groups participate in violent acts, hate speech, crime, and racist actions. The book has important implications for efforts to counter violent extremism across the Western Balkans and beyond.

This is valuable reading for any researcher, advanced student, policy maker, or practitioner working in sport studies, political science, criminology, development studies, security studies, or post-conflict studies.

Alberto Testa is a criminologist and an expert on the far-right. Alberto is currently a Professor of Applied Criminology and a full member of the Association of British Investigators. Dr Testa is also a specialist in applied behaviour analysis (deception/credibility), forensic interviewing, and cyber intelligence analysis. In all his studies, Dr Testa uses a covert ethnographic approach, so evidence is validated by direct experience from the “field”. In 2021, Alberto was elected Fellow by the Council of the prestigious Royal Anthropological Institute of Great Britain and Ireland. He is the author of the book Football, Fascism and Fandom: The UltraS of Italian Football. Widely considered an expert on far-right extremism/terrorism and far-right hooliganism, Alberto is a regular media contributor. He has contributed to a wide range of media, including the Washington Post, the New York Times, BBC, LBC Radio, Sky News, CNN, CBS, the Voice of America, and many others.

Massimiliano Maidano is an academic who holds a PhD in Sociology/Criminology from City, University of London. He has devoted his research career to examining the interethnic relations and correlation between sport violence in the former Yugoslavia, particularly in Bosnia-Herzegovina, and Croatia. He has also published articles and books on these subjects. Throughout his career, Dr Maidano has lectured on various courses, including sport and diplomacy, violence prevention, and globalisation in both English and Italian higher education institutions. In addition to his academic pursuits, he has played rugby and collaborated with UNICEF UK On Campus. He has been interviewed by various international sports media outlets about the intersections between football, hooliganism, and politics.

Hadidža Borović holds a Master of Arts degree in South-Eastern European Studies from the University of Graz. In her previous work, she focused on research on extremism in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH), investigating ethnonationalist extremism, sources of narrative dissemination, and the links between corruption and extremism. Currently, she is dedicated to addressing human trafficking and migrant smuggling issues in BiH and the Western Balkans. She was part of the research team investigating extremism among Ultras in BiH from 2019–2020, establishing local contacts, conducting interviews, and offering insights into the local sociopolitical context. Her primary research interests include youth radicalisation, exploring alternative methods to challenge extremist ideologies, and examining the role of emerging technologies and digitalisation in countering these phenomena.