Bermuda Football Association may realise by now the sport is facing the biggest crisis in its long history.Cancellation of Wednesday's Friendship Trophy match at Somerset between the home team and visiting Boulevard because of the fear of gang violence was unprecedented.It can't be considered as a one-off. It isn't.It's clear now that every player, every coach, every official, referees included, every spectator and every one of their families and their children are in danger whenever they step inside certain club grounds.Exaggeration?Who in their right mind would want to take their child into a football ground knowing the risks?It would be naive to think that this was an isolated incident. For the BFA to believe that other grounds aren't just as vulnerable to gang warfare would be irresponsible to say the least. They can't bury their heads in the sand.Football's governing body have always taken the position that the escalating violence is a social problem not a football problem.That's no longer the case.Sadly, the two are inextricably linked.Affiliation to a gang, by extension can be affiliation to a club.That's why Boulevard called off their match on Wednesday night, afraid their players were under threat.Rivalry between Trojans and Blazers in the past may have been fierce, but it's gone way beyond that.Identifying the problems that now exist is simple, solving them in these troubled times borders on the impossible.Stepping security isn't likely to make any significant difference. Private security employees might be in as much danger as those who are targeted.If revenge is the motive for those pulling the trigger, they'll find a way, a time and a place to do it. Inside or closely outside football grounds may provide the perfect venue.Police presence will be a deterrent but they can't be at every match.Matches in the evening are more likely to be targeted.And that's one way the BFA can play a small part in reducing the threat; revise their schedule so that night games are no longer on the calendar.Get rid of the 9pm kick-offs.Play all of their games on a Saturday or Sunday afternoon, preferably at 3pm and at very least kick off no later thah 5pm.That could present problems in terms of the availablity of referees and linesmen, but the alternative is far more serious.Falling attendances has been a worrying concern for not only the BFA but all of the clubs. They're no longer earning the revenue needed to enhance their facilities.Until Government and Police get to grips with an epidemic that is affecting every single resident, football will continue to suffer more than most.The BFA can only play a small part in finding a solution.Boulevard took it upon themselves to pull out of Wednesday's game, cognisant of the fact that there was far more at stake than passage to the next round of the competition.BFA president Larry Mussenden and his executive now have to decide in tandem with Police whether other fixtures might be exposed to the same danger.If they are, there's no alternative but to call them off as well.Until gang war ceases, there's little else they can do.- ADRIAN OBSON