GERMANY: SOCCER - World Cup security chiefs give Germany vote of confidence ahead of the June tournament

Record ID: 858682

  • Title: GERMANY: SOCCER - World Cup security chiefs give Germany vote of confidence ahead of the June tournament
  • Date: 1st April 2006
  • Summary: (SOUNDBITE) (English) STEPHEN THOMAS, DEPUTY CHIEF MANCHESTER POLICE SAYING: "What we saw in Euro 2004 -- and I think we've heard today and during the conference -- that the fan areas and the large television screens will be stewarded, will be policed. There will be precautions put in there. That's exactly what was done in Korea, exactly what was done in Portugal. It becomes a second stadium. It then works. We normally tell our fans: don't travel if you haven't got a ticket for the game. But of course lots of the cities in Germany are welcoming football supporters because they are going to be part of the festival and part of the carnival." CLOSE UP OF NOTEPAD (SOUNDBITE) (English) STEPHEN THOMAS, DEPUTY CHIEF MANCHESTER POLICE SAYING: "In Portugal, alcohol was served in the areas. It's the same as alcohol in the stadiums. We've learned, six years ago I would have said 'no alcohol' but we learned in Portugal and we've learned in Champions League games in Germany and England and elsewhere that fans like to drink in the stadium. We want supporters to come early so we have to put things, some facilities in place for them. I would rather English football supporters drink in the stadium than drink in the city centre and then come late to the game."
  • Embargoed: 16th April 2006 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Germany
  • City:
  • Country: Germany
  • Topics: Crime / Law Enforcement,Sports
  • Reuters ID: LVADT9JH89ZA4QXYACTDSSGC0I7K
  • Aspect Ratio:
  • Story Text: Foreign security officials voiced strong confidence on Friday (March 31) in Germany's plans to host a trouble-free soccer World Cup despite the twin risks of terrorism and hooligan violence.
    German interior ministry official August Hanning said security planners were mindful of both the Sept. 11 al Qaeda attacks and the Palestinian militant attack on the 1972 Olympic Games in Munich, when 11 Israelis were killed.
    But he reiterated that authorities had no intelligence of specific threats to the month-long tournament, featuring teams from 32 nations.
    The British police officer overseeing England's army of travelling fans said they had shown at the Euro 2004 championship in Portugal that their long-standing hooligan reputation was "totally unfounded".
    "The fan areas and the large television screens will be stewarded, will be policed. There will be precautions put in there. That's exactly what was done in Korea, exactly what was done in Portugal," Stephen Thomas told reporters, adding only five people had been arrested at England's last nine games.
    By the time the tournament starts, travel bans will be in place against some 3,800 known British troublemakers, who will have to surrender their passports and report to police stations, he said.
    Thomas estimated 100,000 England fans may travel to Germany for the World Cup, most of them just to enjoy the atmosphere because tickets have long since been sold out.
    German officials have stressed that all foreign visitors, even without tickets, are welcome to come and enjoy what they hope will be a month-long soccer party, projecting an open, tolerant and friendly image of their country to the world.
    "Despite all the security requirements, we think we will be able to realise the World Cup motto - "A Time to Make Friends", Hanning said.
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