Whitecaps fan humbled after taking haymaker
ALL-STAR TREATMENT: Club supporter, who tried to settle dispute, mingles with goalkeeper Ousted after getting first aid
One Whitecaps fan got a real thrill Saturday.
It wasn’t just the excellent 2-1 win for the home side over the visiting Houston Dynamo — he also got to meet David Ousted afterward.
Steve Mousseau says a nearby fan who had too much to drink got loose with his fists during the second half of Saturday’s game and Mousseau caught a punch to his eye when he went to calm the man down.
Ironically enough, the fan was wearing a green Whitecaps goalie jersey.
After a large number of security guards intervened to remove the man and his companion, Mousseau was tended to by a first aid attendant below the stands, near the south end of the field.
The man who allegedly threw the punch is a regular — Mousseau said he has seats a row up from him and they generally chat most weeks — so his reaction was quite surprising, Mousseau added.
“He got mad because someone used his cup holder. It was really weird,” he said.
After Mousseau’s swollen eye was tended to, the attendants let him stay below and watch the end of the game from field level. Afterward, he got to meet a couple players, including Ousted.
While an unfortunate incident had put him down below, Mousseau said he was thankful for the care he received.
“(Ousted) asked what happened to my face and said I looked like him after some matches,” he said. “He was really friendly. Definitely made my night. Great guy. He signed my jersey and took a few photos.
“I would also mention how great Section 201 handled the situation. Everyone stood together and supported me when B.C. Place staff originally thought I was part of the problem. A lot of great fans there.”
Mousseau said he gave a statement to the police; a spokesman for Vancouver police said he didn’t yet have any information to share on the incident.
Fan violence is pretty unusual for B.C. Place. Fans may be passionate, but they’re a far cry from the madness seen in Europe.
“Incidents such as this are very rare at B.C. Place,” said Duncan Blomfield, marketing and communications manager for the stadium. “Our goal is to create a safe and comfortable environment where our fans can experience world soccer.”
As the incident is still being investigated, Blomfield said he couldn’t speak in specifics, but did comment, “behaviour like this is completely unacceptable and typically would attract a ban and/or other measures.”
Tuesday, the Whitecaps confirmed the two people who were removed have been banned from the stadium until the end of 2018. Additionally, the pair of season tickets held by the man have been cancelled for the remainder of the season.
“Behaviour like this isn’t tolerated,” a Whitecaps spokesperson said. “We take these matters seriously.”