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Like other serial-pest pitch invaders, Daniel Jarvis is a polarising figure. But for the many who loathe the antics of “Jarvo” – read embarrassed sports officials and security bosses – or view his actions as a risk to player safety, there are millions who clearly think it’s all a good laugh.
Jarvis is a self-labelled comedian and serial prankster whose YouTube channel has a big following, with 200,000 subscribers and more than 60 million views.
Jarvo’s most popular content is his renowned intrusions on sporting fields of various types, where he manages to sneak past security, mostly wearing team kit, and mingles with professional athletes during an anthem or celebration or as they pose for a pre-game photo. He has even dressed as a jockey at the Cheltenham races in England.
The Englishman was first sighted in 2014, during a soccer game, but his global fame took off in 2021 with a series of intrusions in England and India cricket games, and several appearances in Test rugby, NFL, and even the Olympics.
Many have involved the Indian cricket team, which would appear to be part of the plan as far as getting massive social media engagement.
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With a prankster’s mindset, athlete reactions to Jarvo are generally a mix of confusion and bemusement. But sports officials – and the police and courts – have taken a much dimmer view, concerned about his continued ability to expose glaring holes in security and the ease with which athletes can potentially be harmed. Jarvis has been arrested several times, is banned from venues all over Europe and was even sentenced to jail for one prank.
Let’s take a look at some of the more notorious examples of “Jarvo”, and the consequences.
Diving prank, 2015
After first emerging in 2014 with a pitch invasion with two others during a Tottenham game in the Europa League, Jarvis gained notoriety when he crashed the final of the FINA Diving World Series in London.
Wearing only his speedos, Jarvis dodged security and got to the 10-metre platform, where he jumped off and interrupted English diver Tom Daley as he competed for a gold medal.
Serial prankster Daniel Jarvis at the Cheltenham racing festival in 2024.Credit: PA Images via Getty Images
India-England cricket invasions, 2021
The first of the pranks that would become Jarvis’ modus operandi came in 2021, when he crashed three straight Test matches being played between England and India.
The first came in the second Test at Lords, when Jarvis – wearing an Indian team kit – strolled onto the field and pretended to field before being kicked out. In the third Test at Headingley, Jarvis decked himself in full batting kit, with pads and helmet, and walked out after the fall of a wicket.
The fourth Test at the Oval saw another invasion, but after only copping venues’ bans earlier, this one had major consequences. Jarvis ran on with a ball and when attempting to bowl, collided with English batsman Jonny Bairstow. That led to Jarvis being charged with aggravated trespass, and the next year he was convicted and given an eight-week prison sentence, suspended for two years. It also led to Jarvis being banned for two years from all venues in England and Wales.
NFL incursion, 2021
Before facing the courts in 2022, however, Jarvis kept up the pitch invasions, and he put himself in the middle of an NFL game at Tottenham Stadium in October 2021, between the Jaguars and Dolphins. He interacted with several confused players before being removed by security.
Rumbling rugby anthems, 2021
Jarvis continued his spree of gatecrashing in late 2021 with a pair of high-profile moments in rugby Tests.
The first saw Jarvis dress in an All Blacks uniform, avoid security, and somehow run out unnoticed into the middle of Principality Stadium in Cardiff ahead of a Test against Wales. He stood with the New Zealand team during national anthem before being apprehended.
A week later, Jarvis did the same thing in Dublin, but this time joined the Japan team in full team kit during their anthem, and grabbed at his chest as the miffed Brave Blossoms players sang next to him.
Both episodes prompted major security reviews by the Wales and Ireland rugby unions, but by now, the widespread failure of security across multiple venues in Britain and Ireland was apparent.
Looting the Champions League, 2022
With security on much higher alert in Britain – he was belted when attempting to crash the England rugby anthem in early 2022 – Jarvis was seen back on a football pitch in France in 2022 after the Champions League final between Real Madrid and Liverpool.
After the game, Jarvis filmed himself sneaking onto the Stade de France pitch, to celebrate with the victorious Real Madrid players.
World Cup cricket crash, 2023
The next year, Jarvis travelled to India to continue his penchant for crashing Indian cricket games – and cashing in on all the views. Wearing an Indian one-day uniform, he went onto the field during an Australia-India game in the opening contest of the ODI World Cup.
Closing ceremony, 2024 Olympics
Jarvis exposed concerning holes in the security of the Olympic Games when he infiltrated the 2024 Olympic closing ceremony by dressing up as a Team GB athlete, in the official closing uniform. He filmed himself mingling with athletes and remarkably even got close enough to French President Emmanuel Macron to get a selfie.
What will come next?
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