IVORY COAST: FOOTBALL/SOCCER - Ivory Coast versus Burkina Faso World Cup qualifier held amid strong security

Record ID: 181919

  • Title: IVORY COAST: FOOTBALL/SOCCER - Ivory Coast versus Burkina Faso World Cup qualifier held amid strong security
  • Date: 6th September 2009
  • Summary: ABIDJAN, IVORY COAST (SEPTEMBER 5, 2009) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF CHECK POINT WITH IVORIAN SUPPORTERS IN FOREGROUND, CHANTING VARIOUS OF BURKINABE SUPPORTERS GOING THROUGH POLICE SECURITY CHECK (SOUNDBITE) (French) FIFA CHIEF OF SECURITY IN IVORY COAST, CLAUDE YORO, SAYING "Taking into account the decision taken by FIFA, we have placed a one-km radius security perimeter around the stadium, with 21 check points, to isolate the stadium. After this first perimeter, there is a second perimeter filter 200 metres from the stadium, with 13 checkpoints. Apart from that we have the usual police service assuring order in the immediate perimeter of the stadium, and of course more importantly inside the stadium." VARIOUS OF FOOTBALL FANS QUEUING UP VAIROUS IVORIAN SUPPORTERS GOING THROUGH POLICE SECURITY CHECKS (SOUNDBITE) (French) FIFA CHIEF OF SECURITY IN IVORY COAST, CLAUDE YORO, SAYING "Up to this moment we are satisfied, and we think we don't need to change our plan, which will stay in place until the end of the game. We have all the necessary personnel to face any eventuality." VARIOUS OF VIDEO SURVEILLANCE CENTRE, TECHNICIANS IN FRONT OF SCREENS VARIOUS OF YORO WITH AMANI ASSIE, VIDEO SURVEILLANCE UNIT CHIEF (SOUNDBITE) (French) VIDEO SURVEILLANCE UNIT CHIEF, AMANI ASSIE, TALKING TO YORO, SAYING "We will make contact with the police and we will give you the exact coordinates, for example, 'there's someone at gate A27 who's just stolen something, or started trouble, etc' and your agents can then go directly to the right place to take action." VARIOUS OF POLICE IN FRONT OF STADIUM GATE VARIOUS OF FIRE FIGHTERS INSIDE THE STADIUM (SOUNDBITE) (French) FERDINAND MEESE, PRESIDENT OF SECURITY FOR BELGIAN FOOTBALL FEDERATION, SAYING "What I can say is that since this morning everything has been put in place, everything is well prepared and organised. We are well prepared."
  • Embargoed: 21st September 2009 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Topics: Sports
  • Reuters ID: LVA6MLOU76M8LCM4GF89CKS6WDY0
  • Story Text: Ivory Coast are playing second-placed Burkina Faso in Abidjan on Saturday (September 5) in their World Cup qualifier.
    A win by Ivory Coast would put them within a point of qualifying for the World Cup finals in South Africa next year.
    Security at the stadium is tight after at least 19 fans died in a crush at an earlier qualifying match against Malawi in March of this year.
    Claude Yoro, FIFA chief of security in the Ivory Coast, said that police had set up a series of cordons and checkpoints around the stadium to prevent a repeat of the tragedy which occurred when too many fans packed into the stadium.
    "We have placed a one-km radius security perimeter around the stadium, with 21 check points, to isolate the stadium," Yoro said. "After this first perimeter, there is a second perimeter filter 200 metres from the stadium, with 13 checkpoints. Apart from that we have the usual police service assuring order in the immediate perimeter of the stadium, and of course more importantly inside the stadium."
    FIFA has reduced the number of seats inside the stadium from 34,000 to 20,000 to avoid filling the stadium over its capacity.
    Around 2,000 seats have been reserved for the Burkinabe supporters. Police doubled their usual numbers. FIFA had warned that they would suspend matches at Felix Houphouet-Boigny stadium if the country did not comply with safety regulations.
    The stadium now has a system of surveillance cameras which can be used with radio communication to warn police of violence or other flash points.
    Ferdinand Meese, president for security of the Belgian Football Federation, said adequate measures were in place.
    "What I can say is that since this morning everything has been put in place, everything is well prepared and organised. We are well prepared," he said.
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