THE MSP who tabled a motion at Holyrood opposing the repeal of the Offensive Behaviour at Football Act last night stated that the introduction safe pyrotechnics sections inside Scottish football stadiums should be explored.

The Viaplay Cup final between Rangers and Celtic at Hampden on Sunday was marred by supporters of both clubs in the 49,529-strong crowd setting off flares, smoke bombs and strobes and even firing rockets onto the pitch. 

John Mason, the SNP MSP for Glasgow Shettleston, cautioned against relaxing the laws on the sale of alcohol inside grounds and offensive behaviour at matches following the riot at the end of the Scottish Cup final between Hibernian and Rangers in 2016.

Mason believes that introducing strict liability - which would see clubs punished for the conduct of their fans with fines and other sanctions - could help to snuff out the increasing problem of illegal pyrotechnic use in the game in this country.

A nine-year-old Celtic fans was hospitalised after being struck with a flare that was thrown by a fellow supporter at the Champions League group game against defending champions Real Madrid at Parkhead in September.

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However, Mason also feels that other potential solutions, like the safe pyrotechnics sections which are in place at many Norwegian club football matches, should be considered.

“I deplore anything like this which is dangerous to people or can potentially cause damage to a stadium, including the pitch,” he said. “The temperatures of these things is horrendous. If you touch one of these things, if it goes in your eye, there is no escape. 

“There is always this reluctance among politicians to get involved in sport generally. I understand that most sports associations are pretty keen to steer clear of politics. But I am pretty open to what my SNP colleague James Dornan has previously suggested, strict liability.

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“In European competitions, clubs have to take responsibility for the actions of their fans. I am not saying hard and fast that I would definitely support that in Scotland, but it could well be one of the ways forward in tackling illegal pyrotechnic use. 

“The clubs have to take on more responsibility on this issue and if they are not prepared to do it voluntarily, which would be preferable, then some kind of strict liability would be the first thing I would look at.”

Mr Mason added: “The clubs are clearly torn. Celtic and Rangers, but other clubs as well, have a vocal minority who create the atmosphere at games, who are fanatical about the club and who obviously put money into the club. So the clubs are always going to be torn between allowing them freedom and clamping down on them.

“So maybe we have to take the responsibility away from the individual clubs and the SFA, the SPFL, whoever, has to agree to rules like strict liability. But they have traditionally been reluctant to go down that route.”

However, Mason is aware that clubs in Norway have dramatically reduced the illegal use of flares and smoke bombs at matches by allowing an agreed number of supporters to set off specific pyrotechnics in designated areas at certain times if they have previously received permission from the local police and fire services.

READ MORE: How football in Norway has pioneered safe pyrotechnic areas in grounds

“It does seem to have had an impact on those who use them irresponsibly in Norway,” he said. “That is positive so let’s have a look at it and see if it could work here. I think it is something which is worth examining.

“At all Scottish clubs, even the smaller ones, there is an element who will just want to break the rules no matter what they are. I am sure if they were allowed to use pyrotechnics in certain circumstances they would just move on to something else.

“But other countries have had some success in this. I am a little bit wary of allowing fans to set off fireworks in a controlled environment, but it is certainly something which is worth exploring. The alternative is you clamp down, you double the number of police, you search every person going into a ground.

“I don’t want parliament to be interfering in sport any more than they need to. If we can find some middle ground here that would be acceptable to most people, I think that would be preferable. It sounds as if it (safe pyrotechnics) has had some positive impact in Norway.

“We are not looking for perfect behaviour at every football game. But when there is really quite dangerous practice going on in a totally uncontrolled way, we could at least look at bringing some kind of compromise into it to see if it helps.”