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Lifetime Ban For Galaxy Fan Rescinded
The fan who jumped out of the stands to confront David Beckham has seen his lifetime ban from the Home Depot Center rescinded.
Jul 28, 2009 12:00:17 AM
The Los Angeles Galaxy fan who leaped out of the stands to confront David Beckham has had his lifetime ban from the Home Depot Center rescinded.
After one of the supporters groups in the stadium, the LA Riot Squad, booed the Galaxy's returning designated player during the friendly against AC Milan, Beckham confronted the fangroup at halftime.
He apparently incited a fan to jump down onto the field, where the man was promptly apprehended by security and slapped with a lifetime ban, which is the stock punishment for entering the pitch.
"When David Beckham motioned to the fan to come down to the field to shake his hand, he was unaware of the stadium's policies regarding fans who enter the field of play," the Home Depot Center's general manager, Katie Pandolfo, said in a statement. "Therefore, we have decided to remove the life ban issued to the individual."
Beckham spent the first half of the Major League Soccer season on loan with Milan. He returned to a buzz of publicity due to comments his teammates made criticizing aspects of his MLS stint in Grant Wahl's book, The Beckham Experiment. Some fans of the Galaxy were also upset with Beckham's stated desire to return again to Europe and miss more of the MLS season in 2010.
In his first game back in LA, Beckham had two assists for goals. However, at halftime, he pointed out a heckling fan and indicated that the person jump down, appearing ready to jump over billboards to confront him when the fan did so.
Beckham said later that all he intended with the fan was to "shake his hand".
For the LA Riot Squad, the rescinding of the ban was a positive move. On the group's official message board, a fellow member posted, “Mad props to everyone involved with getting that done. That's a HUGE liability risk for the stadium to take on, and its incredible that they did it, considering how easy it would have been for them to just say "nope, that's our rule, sorry".”
Though sources at the Galaxy would not confirm it, the statement released by the Home Depot Center implied that Beckham himself had advocated on behalf of the fan.
For his part in the fracas, Beckham was fined $1,000 by MLS commissioner Don Garber, who stated that fans should never be encouraged to enter the field of play.
Zac Lee Rigg, Goal.com
For more on Major League Soccer, visit Goal.com's MLS page
After one of the supporters groups in the stadium, the LA Riot Squad, booed the Galaxy's returning designated player during the friendly against AC Milan, Beckham confronted the fangroup at halftime.
He apparently incited a fan to jump down onto the field, where the man was promptly apprehended by security and slapped with a lifetime ban, which is the stock punishment for entering the pitch.
"When David Beckham motioned to the fan to come down to the field to shake his hand, he was unaware of the stadium's policies regarding fans who enter the field of play," the Home Depot Center's general manager, Katie Pandolfo, said in a statement. "Therefore, we have decided to remove the life ban issued to the individual."
Beckham spent the first half of the Major League Soccer season on loan with Milan. He returned to a buzz of publicity due to comments his teammates made criticizing aspects of his MLS stint in Grant Wahl's book, The Beckham Experiment. Some fans of the Galaxy were also upset with Beckham's stated desire to return again to Europe and miss more of the MLS season in 2010.
In his first game back in LA, Beckham had two assists for goals. However, at halftime, he pointed out a heckling fan and indicated that the person jump down, appearing ready to jump over billboards to confront him when the fan did so.
Beckham said later that all he intended with the fan was to "shake his hand".
For the LA Riot Squad, the rescinding of the ban was a positive move. On the group's official message board, a fellow member posted, “Mad props to everyone involved with getting that done. That's a HUGE liability risk for the stadium to take on, and its incredible that they did it, considering how easy it would have been for them to just say "nope, that's our rule, sorry".”
Though sources at the Galaxy would not confirm it, the statement released by the Home Depot Center implied that Beckham himself had advocated on behalf of the fan.
For his part in the fracas, Beckham was fined $1,000 by MLS commissioner Don Garber, who stated that fans should never be encouraged to enter the field of play.
Zac Lee Rigg, Goal.com
For more on Major League Soccer, visit Goal.com's MLS page
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