Season 12/13 - January

German football fans halt silent protests - 02/01/2013

Source : http://www.dw.de

A German football fans' union has called a halt to a curious form of protest. Crowds will no longer watch on in silence during the start of Bundesliga matches - protesting safety rules they say ruin the atmosphere.

The "12:12" protest movement issued a statement on Wednesday telling fans that they could sing and cheer again during the start of football matches in Germany.

Supporters had stayed silent for 12 minutes and 12 seconds at the start of games for weeks in protest of new stadium security measures. Those measures were adopted at a December 12 German Football League (DFL) meeting, with the period of protest referring to the 12/12/12 date.

"After the winter break there is no further call from us for an atmospheric boycott," the group said in a statement detailing the results of a weekend conference. "However, all fan representatives agreed that the solidarity experienced by fans across the country should be maintained and strengthened."

The group said that the campaign had been "one of the most successful of all time," although the new security concept was introduced as planned on December 12.

"If one compares the submitted rules with the first draft, it's easy to see that the protest helped contribute towards preventing many further, disproportionate measures," the 12:12 statement said.

The 16 points passed on December 12 largely reinforced existing regulations, like a ban on pyrotechnics in the stands and the possibility of stadium bans for unruly supporters.

Provisions allowing random full-body searches and raising the possibility of limiting traveling fan ticket allocations for games considered high risk were labeled unnecessary by many fans. Supporters were most upset, however, by being left out of the process and were lobbying mainly for some input alongside police, politicians and the governing bodies.

Suggestions still sought

The paper encouraged all fans to help contribute to its counterproposal, referred to as a "fan-friendly stadium experience," a play on words of the title of the official December 12 bill: "a secure stadium experience." The legislation applies to the top two divisions in Germany, administered by the DFL.

DFL Vice President Heribert Bruchhagen welcomed the news.

"These conflict situations were never in football's best interest," Bruchhagen told German sports news agency SID, "I would be very happy if they were now dissolved piece by piece."

The protests, under a motto that loosely translates as "without a voice, there's no atmosphere," were billed as an attempt to show the positive role fans play in football.

The 12:12 organizers did warn, however, that they would re-start protests if aspects of the new rules they oppose - like restricting the size of traveling fan contingents or implementing full-body searches - are actually put into practice.

The new safety measures were devised under media and political pressure alike, after a particularly raucous end to the previous season in Germany, with tensions boiling over at a string of clubs in league and other fixtures.

Pro Patria - AC Milan - Friendly - 03/01/2013

Source : http://www.channel4.com

Kevin-Prince Boateng racism protest: no bravery involved



Truly believe Thursday 3 January was a significant day for football. The "fight" - and I use that word very loosely - against racism in the sport took an important step.

Five-times European Cup winners (now known as the Champions League) AC Milan were playing a friendly match against Italian fourth division side Pro Pratia, in northern Italy.

Several black Milan players were subjected to racist abuse from the home fans whenever they touched the ball or ran near the stands where the home fans were situated.

Twenty-five minutes into the match, Ghana and former Tottenham and Portsmouth midfielder Kevin-Prince Boateng decided enough was enough.

As the ball was passed to him during play, he picked it up and kicked the ball into the section of the stand where he heard the chants, before taking his top off and walking off the pitch – refusing to continue playing.

His teammates followed suit and the game was abandoned.

Now as a black man, I can’t say I have any experience of blatant or overt acts of racism, but I can tell you this; if you surround my office with hundreds or thousands of people abusing me, because of my disability, gender or race, it would push me to the extreme.

After so many incidents of racism in the sport last year, on and off the pitch, and the tame reactions from the relevant federations, it was a big move forward in the fight against racism to see a player in a high-profile club such as AC Milan take this stance.

What Boateng did was the right thing and something I've been saying should've been done by black players a long time ago.

But my problem is this. I've heard the word "brave" used to describe the Ghanaian's actions. Brave? I’m not sure if it was.

Bravery should be judge within the context of the action taken. If a multi-millionaire finds a £10 note on the floor and slots it into a charity can, do we commend that individual for not keeping the money? Probably not.

Let's get some perspective. It was a friendly match, against a fourth division team, with no more purpose than to give the Milan first team players a run-out after a Christmas period off (unlike the Premier league, the Italian league has a Christmas break for a month).

If Milan were in the semi-finals of the Champions League 2-0 up with 25 minutes to go, would he have done the same thing?

Rio Ferdinand, Jason Roberts and Manchester City captain Vincent Kompany have all thrown their support behind Boateng via Twitter. But former AC Milan legend, Dutchman Clarence Seedorf, has since come out and condemned his former teammates actions saying: "I don't see it as a positive thing because it empowers more of this behaviour."

Seedorf feels that this could be used as a tool by fans to get games called off if things aren't going the way of their side. "If Boateng was able to identify the whole corner, you just kick out the whole corner." Players have a made a stand. FIFA, over to you!

Liverpool FC - Sunderland AFC - 02/012/2013

Source : http://www.shieldsgazette.com + http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk

Sunderland fans’ coach attacked by Liverpool hooligans

COACHES carrying South Tyneside football fans came under attack after a Premier League football match.

Passengers travelling on the South Shields Sunderland Supporters’ bus leaving Anfield Stadium, Liverpool, after the club’s 3-0 defeat on Wednesday night say missiles were thrown as they waited in traffic.

The outside pane of the bus window was smashed, while a Jarrow supporters’ branch coach was attacked but not damaged.

Steven Pike, who helps organise the South Shields coach was with his two daughters, aged 14 and 20, and was horrified at the hooliganism.

The 47-year-old taxi driver said: “It was like going back in time to the 1970s or 80s, except then hooligans made sure they fought each other and were away from the crowds.

“This was a coach which was mostly filled with teenagers. We stopped at a red light and loads of kids were outside the coach – they started throwing bricks and even a scaffolding pole at the bus.

“One pane was smashed – thankfully just the outside one, and some were trying to get on.

“Who knows what would have happened if they did. All I could think about was trying to keep my girls safe.”

Mr Pike, from Washington, said there was no police escort for the coach.

He added: “It’s been said that the people responsible were Liverpool fans, but they weren’t wearing any colours. They could have just been a local gang.”

Seventy3 fanzine editor Mal Robinson, who was on the coach which had its window smashed, also slammed the thugs.

He said: “There’s no need for this in society, never mind at a football match.”

Dave Scott, who was also on the bus, added: “I was worried what was going to happen – the younger ones were terrified.

“We heard a big bang come from the left-hand side of the bus. People are suggesting that something similar to a Lambrini bottle was thrown.

“They surrounded the bus and were kicking the emergency door.”

A spokesman for Merseyside Police said: “We can confirm that we have now received a single report of damage to a football supporters’ coach leaving the Anfield area.

“A driver of one of the coaches called the force yesterday to say that a window had been smashed by an object thrown from outside a chip shop on Stanley Park Avenue South.

“Enquiries will be now carried out.”

England : Football ban for Hull City fan who assaulted police officer - 02/01/2013

Soure : http://www.thisishullandeastriding.co.uk

Ashley Robert Kerman, 25, has been given a three-year football banning order.

He became involved in trouble after Hull City's 4-1 win over Millwall.

At Hull Magistrates' Court, Kerman admitted assaulting PC Mark Bennett, resisting Sergeant David Thomas and using threatening behaviour on September 15.

It means he is not allowed to be within one-and-a-half miles of the KC Stadium when Hull City are playing at home from two hours before the match and four hours after it.

He is also banned from attending towns or cities where the Tigers are playing away matches.

Kerman, of Halliwell Close, east Hull, is also banned from entering any football grounds across the country.

Manchester City fan banned after Rio Ferdinand derby confrontation - 04/01/2013

Source : http://www.guardian.co.uk

• Matthew Stott banned from football for three years
• Stott had drunk eight pints of lager before game

A Manchester City fan who encroached on the football field to confront Rio Ferdinand at the end of December's Manchester derby has been banned from attending matches for three years.

Matthew Stott, 21, was told he came close to going to prison, but instead his 56-day jail term was suspended for 12 months.

Stott had to be restrained by the Manchester City goalkeeper Joe Hart from confronting Ferdinand, who was already bleeding from a cut caused by a coin thrown from the stands at the end of the match.

Ferdinand had been celebrating Robin van Persie's late winner for United at City's Etihad Stadium when tempers boiled over.

Television footage of the incident was played at Manchester magistrates court showing Stott, who had sunk eight pints of lager before kick-off, trying to get at the United defender.

Andy Holt, prosecuting, told the court after police caught him and cuffed him on the pitch he shouted at the officers: "Fuck off you Munich bastards! Fuck off you Munich twats!"

Stott, a landscape gardener of Southfields, Knutsford, pleaded guilty to encroaching on the field of play and using insulting words or behaviour during the incident on 9 December.

His father, who attended the match with his son, sat in the public gallery during sentencing by District Judge Paul Richardson.

As well as the football ban and suspended jail sentence, he was ordered to do 120 hours community service, pay £145 in costs and observe an 8pm to 6am home curfew for three months.

District Judge Richardson commended the England goalkeeper Hart for quickly stopping Stott getting at Ferdinand. He said it was "difficult to associate" the glowing character references for Stott with what he had seen on screen.

He added: "He chose to attack somebody on a football pitch. But for the timely and appropriate intervention of the City goalkeeper, the situation would have been a lot worse and could have triggered a serious incident of disorder."

Rebecca Caulfield, defending Stott, said he had drunk eight pints of lager before the incident which was not planned, and he could now not remember what he had done.

She added: "He's lost his job, he's received death threats and his family has suffered intimidation by members of the public, in person, by telephone, camping outside his father's flat, and threats on Facebook."

Stott issued an apology through his solicitor the day after the match saying he was "extremely ashamed" of his actions and apologised to Ferdinand and United's fans.

The City season ticket holder, who had never been in trouble with the police before, said he had let his club down. Officials at City immediately withdrew his season ticket and said later if he was convicted at court he would face a lifetime ban.

Millions of TV viewers watching the game televised live by Sky Sports, also saw the United striker Wayne Rooney being forced to dodge an array of objects thrown in his direction as he took a corner.

The match ended in the ugly scenes when Robin van Persie's injury-time free-kick gave United the three points after City had previously fought back from 2-0 down.

Stott was sentenced on Friday along with a number of other fans involved in trouble.

A turkey farmer Christopher Johnson, 52, of Ancoats Lane, Alderley Edge, Cheshire, admitted threatening and abusive behaviour after invading the pitch and running towards United fans, gesturing "come on" before his arrest. He was given 100 hours community service, £145 in costs and a three-year football banning order.

Joshua Rushton, 17, from Farr Street, Edgeley, Stockport, was given a £100 fine and ordered to pay £85 costs and given a three-year football banning order after pleading guilty to throwing a coin and a bottle at rival spectators at the ground. Rushton was already serving a temporary three-match ban at the time of the derby for misbehaviour and should not have been in the stadium.

District Judge Richardson allowed the press to name the defendant, who is still a juvenile, following a legal challenge by Mike Keegan of the Manchester Evening News. Rushton, who has a string of convictions, told the judge: "They can't put me in the paper," because he was not yet 18. But the judge, who had already warned Rushton about his "lip" decided he should be named. Rushton stormed out of court.

A Manchester University student, Sam Weatherby, 21, of Grant Street, Farnworth, Bolton, who is studying a sports management degree and works part-time at Asda, was given 100 hours community service and ordered to pay £85 costs and a £60 victim surcharge.

Philip O'Leary, 24, of Heysbank Road, Disley, Stockport, was given the same sentence after the pair broke their football banning orders by going into Manchester city centre on a day when United were playing a game.

Christopher O'Neil, 21, of Swainsthorpe Drive, Manchester, Andrew Martin, 20, of Northdale Drive, and Nicholas Morley, 21, of Chapel Lane, both Blackley, were all charged with being drunk and disorderly after trouble broke out at the Flying Horse pub in Blackley following the game.

All admitted the offence and were given a £60 fine with £80 costs to be taken out of their state benefits.

Port Said Clashes: A Foretaste Of Egyptian Football Violence To Come - 05/01/2013

Source : http://www.eurasiareview.com

Clashes this week between rival soccer fans in Port Said in which 55 people were injured gave Egypt a foretaste of expected violence later this month when a Cairo court announces its verdict in the trial of 73 people accused of responsibility for last year’s death of 74 fans in a politically loaded brawl in the Suez Canal city.

The expected verdict on January 26 puts the government of President Mohammed Morsi in a no-win situation as it struggles to re-launch Egypt’s professional soccer on February 1, a year after the 74 fans of crowned Cairo club Al Ahli SC died in violence in the Port Said stadium after a match against the city’s Al Masri SC.

The brawl was widely seen as an attempt that got out of hand to cut down to size militant, highly politicized, street battle-hardened fan groups, who played a key role in last year’s overthrow of president Hosni Mubarak, subsequent often violent rejection of military rule and current opposition to the Morsi government. Egypt’s militant fans or ultras constitute one of the country’s largest civic groups after Mr. Morsi’s Muslim Brotherhood.

This week’s violence in which rival groups threw rocks and Molotov cocktails erupted when Al Masri supporters clashed with pro-Al Ahli students at a Port Said University hostel who hoisted the Cairo club’s flag from their windows and balconies as well as the hostel’s roof, according to Egypt’s state-run Middle East News Agency (MENA). Four police officers were among the injured.

Al Masri fans and nine mid-level security officers are among those on trial in Cairo. Fans are certain to protest whatever the court decides. If the 73 accused or a substantial number of them are sentenced, Al Masri fans are certain to take to the streets. If however all or a substantial number of them are acquitted, Al Ahli fans will protest vehemently.

Ultras Ahlawy, the Cairo club’s militant fan group, has vowed to prevent the resumption of professional soccer as long as justice has not been served in the case of the 74 deaths, most of whom were supporters of their group. The ultras have in recent months occupied the head office of the Egyptian Football Association (EFA) on several occasions, stormed the Al Ahli training ground, forced the freezing of assets and imposition of a travel ban on Al Ahli chairman Hassan Hamdi by the Illegal Gains Authority on charges of corruption and attacked the premises of media organizations they deemed hostile.

The risk of violence is enhanced by the fact that even if the Cairo court rules in favor of Al Ahli, the verdict is unlikely to meet conditions the fans have set for a resumption of Egyptian soccer. The ultras have demanded in addition to serving justice in the Port Said case that the police and security forces, their nemesis and the most despised institutions in Egypt because of their role in enforcing the repression of the Mubarak government, be exempted from responsibility for security in stadiums; the police and security forces be thoroughly reformed; Mubarak era officials be removed from soccer boards and an end to corruption in the sport.

The fans are also unhappy with the conditions on which the EFA last week agreed with the ministers of interior and sport to resume professional soccer on February 1. In particular, the fans reject the exclusion of the public from initial matches at the behest of the interior ministry which is in charge of the police and security forces. The ministry insisted that fans be excluded because it fears that clashes with the militants would further tarnish the image of the police and the security forces.

Fans face five-year jail term under new police powers - 05/01/2013

Source : http://www.scotsman.com

UNRULY Edinburgh football fans can face a five-year prison sentence or an unlimited fine under enforcement powers first granted to Scottish police last year.

The legislation, introduced on March 1, came in response to calls from both police and prosecutors for new tools to crack down on sectarian songs and abuse around football matches, and threats posted on the internet or through the mail.

Two new offences were created under The Offensive Behaviour at Football and Threatening Communications (Scotland) Act 2012. Under the Act, police have the power to arrest fans who express hateful, threatening or otherwise offensive behaviour at and around football matches that is likely to cause public disorder. A threat of either serious harm or communications intended to stir up religious hatred, whether sent by mail or posted on the internet, is also an offence.

The powers apply to travel to and from a regulated football game, and pubs and other public places where matches are shown on television. Behaviour that a reasonable person would be likely to consider offensive such as spitting on another person is also classed as an offence. Expressing hatred of a group based on colour, race, nationality, sexual orientation, transgender identity or disability would all be grounds for arrest.

The increased police powers were introduced in the wake of the Old Firm shame game which saw Rangers assistant manager Ally McCoist and Celtic boss Neil Lennon blow up at each other on the touchline, parcel bombs being sent to key figures connected to Celtic FC and a May 2011 incident which saw a Hearts fan, John Wilson, tangle with Celtic manager Neil Lennon after running on to the pitch at Tynecastle.

Last March two Hibs fans became the first to be prosecuted under the new powers. Andrew Whitson, then 28, and Paul Swan, then 39, were both fined and received one-year banning orders for singing sectarian songs on a train.

25 POLICE FORCES NOW LINKED TO HILLSBOROUGH TRAGEDY - 06/01/2013

Source : http://www.dailystar.co.uk

THE scale of the ­Hillsborough cover-up probe can be revealed today, after a Daily Star Sunday inquiry found at least 25 police forces with links to the tragedy.

It was thought the Liverpool versus Nottingham Forest FA Cup semi-final in Sheffield was policed by the local South ­Yorkshire force, along with ­officers from Merseyside and Nottinghamshire.
But our investigations have found officers from Lancashire, the Metropolitan Police, Lincolnshire, Greater Manchester, West Yorkshire, Staffordshire and ­Cambridgeshire were also on duty.
The British Transport Police were also involved and officers from nine forces, ­including ­Derbyshire, Northumbria, Essex, Surrey and Leicestershire, were also in the crowd.
Their accounts are all crucial to the investigation by the ­Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC), which is ­probing South Yorkshire’s ­cover-up.
The force altered statements to deflect blame and IPCC ­investigators will want to know if those at the ground were asked to change or embellish their accounts and, if so, who requested the amendments.
As well as those involved on the day, scores of other forces linked to the aftermath will also come ­under the spotlight.
After the 1989 disaster, which claimed the lives of 96 Liverpool fans, West Midlands police were called in to investigate – but ­reportedly turned a blind eye to the altered statements.
The head of the force’s team, ­Assistant Chief Constable Mervyn Jones, switched to Cheshire police, where he continued to head the ­operation.
In total, the IPCC has said its ­investigation, sparked after a damning report last September by the Hillsborough Independent Panel (HIP), will cover more than 2,000 police officers and staff.
Margaret Aspinall, chairman of the Hillsborough Family Support Group, who lost her son James, 18, in the tragedy, said: “What we didn’t know but what we have learned recently was that so many police forces were involved.
“Our worry now is the time it takes to carry out the investigation. They’ve got to get on and do it as soon as possible.
“We have waited long enough and I don’t think we deserve to wait any longer.”
The IPCC is launching a ­recruitment drive for additional investigators as it sifts through 450,000 documents and prepares to interview thousands of witnesses.
The HIP report found police statements had been altered, ­attempts made to blame Liverpool fans for the disaster and that 41 lives could have been saved.
The account of every police ­officer involved, either on the day or in the aftermath, has become crucial in trying to discover the true scope of the cover-up.
But as we revealed last month, the IPCC probe may be hampered by the number of officers who are now retired or have died.
Since February 2010, when the HIP first met, 153 South Yorkshire officers involved in the disaster have quit.
Unlike serving officers they will not be compelled to attend witness interviews and the IPCC is relying on them to cooperate ­voluntarily.
As well as the forces identified, the IPCC is also ­investigating individuals from several “police ­related bodies” but has refused to say which.

FC Metz - OGC Nice - Cup - 06/01/2013

Source : http://lorraine.france3.fr

Brawl between OGC Nice supporters and policemen in Metz




Two hundred to 250 Nice supporters who arrived in the morning in the Metz train station to watch this cup game fronted with policemen. Then, just before the game, both mobs had a confrontation on a bridge near the stadium but the police intervened rapidely. Later, before the kick-off, troubles erupted in the away stand and some OGCN fans ran into the pitch. Two fans were injured. One Nice fans van was attacked too.

(NDLR: video and pics : Metz + Lyon mob)

France: free fight - 05/01/2013

Source : mail

Free fight : youth lens vs Paris fc
8 lens vs 10 PFC

Fair fight. No one has the advantage for the first charge.
Lens refused a 2nd one because one of them was knock down.

FA Cup: Mansfield and Liverpool fans warned over pitch invasions - 06/01/2013

Source : http://www.bbc.co.uk

Football fans attending the Mansfield Town and Liverpool FA Cup tie have been warned that they could be arrested if they invade the pitch.

About 8,000 people are expected to watch the third round match at Mansfield Town's Field Mill ground at 16:00 GMT on Sunday.

Police said fans could also face a ban if they enter the pitch.

It is a criminal offence under the Football Spectators Act 1989 to enter the area of play.

'Ensure order'
Supt Mark Holland said: "Pitch invasions will not be tolerated. We will be watching today and reviewing footage after the game.

"If you are seen to enter the pitch we will seek to arrest you and, or, make sure you receive a banning order.

"Our aim is simply to ensure order is maintained throughout."

Mansfield Town are in the Blue Square Bet Conference, four divisions lower than Premier League Liverpool.

People not attending the match have been advised to avoid the area around the ground from 14:00 until 19:00 GMT, due to potential congestion.

Serbia - Basketball: Partizan Beograd - Cibona - 05/01/2013

Source : serbian press + youtube

Australia : Western Sydney Wanderers - Central Coast Mariners - 06/01/2013

Source : http://www.theaustralian.com.au

Referee Chris Beath, who had reached for the yellow card six times and also saw red, was forced to stop play late in the game after a section of the home fans at the northern end of the ground began belting Mariners keeper Matt Ryan with drink containers after feeling aggrieved at not being awarding a penalty decision in favour of Mark Bridge.

Fans then began throwing flares before order was eventually restored as police and security staff went in search of the culprits.

The stoppage delayed play by a full six minutes.

FC Chauray - FC Lorient - French Cup - 05/01/2013

Source : http://www.letelegramme.com

A fan ran into the pitch.

Russia: free fight - 01/01/2013

Source : http://fanstyle.ru

Omsk vs Sibay

VIDEO: http://vk.com/video178367322_163960236?hash=cbda24cd6f96bf4f

Sweden - Ice hockey: Linkoping HC - AIK Solna - 05/01/2013

Source : https://www.youtube.com + http://www.corren.se/ostergotland/linkoping/valdsamt-upplopp-efter-lhc-match-6272349-artikel.aspx

3 cops and one security guard injured between Linköping-AIK after AIK attacked the police with stones and fireworks. Police cars smashed and one ambulance on fire.

Millwall fan Leonard Pinnick jailed after kicking officer outside St Mary's Stadium ahead of FA Cup match - 07/01/2012

Source : http://www.dailyecho.co.uk



THIS was the moment a football thug unleashed a ferocious attack on a police officer and kicked him in the face.

Violent Leonard Pinnick left PC Darren Willis with a dislocated jaw, black eyes and broken teeth after lashing out at the officer who was restraining his drunken father on the ground.

Both men, who are Millwall fans living in Southampton, had been drinking heavily before the two sides met for an FA Cup match at St Mary’s on February 7 last year.

Now the 26-year-old, from Bitterne Road West, is starting a three-year jail term and is facing an eight-year ban from attending football matches for what a judge described as a “reckless” and “targeted” attack.

Southampton Crown Court heard how the violence, which was captured on CCTV, erupted outside the stadium as the evening game kicked off, when both father and son were turned away for being drunk.

Leonard Pinnick’s father Lee, who was 49 at the time, was being restrained on the pavement after spitting at an officer and telling another “I’ll cut your throat and kill your family”.

Pinnick then ran over to him and kicked out with force, sending the officer’s helmet flying as he made contact with his face.

Southampton FC - Chelsea FC - FA Cup - 05/01/2013

Source : http://www.dailyecho.co.uk

Chelsea fan hurls flare at St Mary's in FA Cup

PARTof the St Mary’s pitch was left swathed in blue after a Chelsea fan hurled a lit flare from the stands.

The flare was one of four let off inside the stadium during Saturday’s FA Cup clash, while another was found discarded outside near to the search area.

Police last night confirmed they had arrested an away fan for throwing the object, although it is understood he had picked it up and not ignited it himself.

And they revealed the issue of fans carrying pyrotechincs is part of a wider problem being experience at football grounds nationwide.

Supt Rick Burrows, in charge of football policing for Hampshire, said supporters carrying smaller sized flares similar to those used in paintballing were becoming more commonplace and could not be easily detected.

He told The Daily Echo; “Four flares were set off during Saturday’s game, all of them in the away supporters area. “One of those was thrown onto the pitch and was dealt with by safety stewards who extinguished it.

“We are seeing a large increase nationally and the pyrotechnics we are talking about are very small and therefore can be easily hidden.

“Short of intrusive searching of everyone entering a football stadium we have to rely on the fans themselves to self-police and help us with that. “We need the support of the crowd to help deter others from doing that.”

Italy vows to take on racism after Milan's Boateng incident - 07/01/2013

Source : http://www.football.co.uk

Italian interior minister Annamaria Cancellieri on Monday called for 'more incisive' action to be taken to end the abuse of non-white players by racist fans.

Cancellieri was speaking after AC Milan's Kevin-Prince Boateng last week responded to racist chants by a small group of fans during a friendly against fourth division side Pro Patria by storming off the pitch.

He was followed by his team-mates, prompting a global outpouring of applause for the German-born Ghanaian international's stance against racist supporters.

Sepp Blatter, the president of world football's governing body FIFA, hit out at Boateng's decision to force the suspension of last week's friendly, setting him at odds with AC Milan owner-president, Italy's former prime minister Silvio Berlusconi.

Both FIFA and UEFA have previously warned against players walking off the pitch in protest, and Blatter said: "Walk off? No. I don't think that is the solution."

Cancellieri said Boateng's stance was a "nice gesture" but told Radio 24 Monday that a "more comprehensive strategy" needed to be put in place to avoid games being decided by "a minority of racists".

"This episode drew attention to a phenomenon which is unfortunately widespread and, as such, we have to be more serious about dealing with it," Cancellieri said.

At Rome's Olympic Stadium on Saturday some sections of Lazio's crowd were heard making monkey noises at Cagliari's Colombian striker Victor Ibarbo. The majority of the home crowd jeered and whistled to drown out the racists.

The regulations regarding the suspension of matches in such circumstances remain unclear and is a potential minefield for the football authorities, who would either have to replay matches or award victory to the team being victimised.

Cancellieri suggested that if "only a small group of fans" were involved in racist chanting games "should not be suspended".

"Fans involved in racist chanting should be hit very hard and must be removed from the stadium," she said. "If, however, the phenomenon is more widespread the game must be suspended by whoever is responsible for keeping public order."

There have been suggestions that police officials, who already attend football games in Italy's Serie A, could play a bigger role in deciding whether football games are suspended or not due to racist chanting.

Cancellieri said a meeting would be held between Italy's chief of police and the president of Serie A later this week to discuss ways to eliminate abusive fans from matches without necessarily forcing stoppages.

Berlusconi, meanwhile, said he disagreed with Blatter's appraisal of Boateng's gesture after vowing last week that his players would do the same again in a similar situation and calling the scenes at Pro Patria "disgraceful".

"I am of the opposite opinion. I congratulated the players for their courage in standing up to this abhorrent incident," he told Tgcom24, which is part of his Mediaset group.

"Football reflects society and should be something positive, teams should shown an example to the rest of society. What happened in the stadium should not be dismissed, it has done a lot of damage including to the reputation of Italy."

UEFA charges Lazio over alleged fan racist abuse - 07/01/2013

Source : http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com

UEFA has charged Lazio for "alleged racist behavior'' by fans accused of chanting anti-Semitic abuse at Tottenham during a Europa League match.

Lazio fans also displayed a "Free Palestine'' banner at the Olympic Stadium on Nov. 22, apparently taunting Tottenham, which draws fans from the Jewish community.

UEFA says Lazio faces a range of charges, including fans throwing missiles, and Tottenham faces sanctions for "crowd disturbances.''

UEFA's disciplinary panel will judge the case on Jan. 24.

Lazio could be ordered to play a Europa League match in an empty stadium.

UEFA acted on reports from the English Football Association and the European fans' network FARE, which sends monitors to high-risk games.

The return was played amid tension after violent attacks on Tottenham fans in a bar in central Rome.


Lazio fans hold a banner reading "Free Palestine" during a Europa League match in November.

England : Northampton Town - Fleetwood Town - 06/01/2013

Source : http://www.northamptonchron.co.uk

Police are investigating reports of fighting between Cobblers fans and Fleetwood Town supporters near Sixfields on Saturday.

Officers were called to reports of a “confrontation” outside The Sixfields Tavern at around 5.15pm, after Saturday’s match, which ended with a 3-1 victory for Northampton Town.

Police have said they remain unclear exactly what happened during the altercation, having received different accounts of the alleged fight.

They have today appealed for witnesses to come forward.

A police spokesman said: “We are appealing for information about an incident following Northampton Town’s home football match with Fleetwood Town on Saturday afternoon.

“At around 5.15pm, in the vicinity of the Bella Italia restaurant and the Sixfields Tavern public house, supporters from Northampton and Fleetwood were involved in a confrontation.”

Walsall FC - Portsmouth FC - 04/01/2013

Source : hthttp://www.expressandstar.com

The 56-year-old victim, a Portsmouth fan, was left with a broken jaw and needing two metal plates following the match between the Saddlers and Portsmouth on Friday.

The wife of the retired chartered surveyor, from Addlestone in Surrey, said the attack was sparked by a man grabbing her hat and her husband chasing after him to ask for it back.

Posting on a message board at website upthesaddlers.com, she said beforehand they had spent the day in Walsall visiting museums and pubs and parked at the railway station. She said: “We’d had a lovely day, talked to quite a few local people about things other than football as we are just generally interested in all sorts of things about places we visit. We own a narrowboat so hope to revisit the Birmingham area some time.”

She said when her husband confronted the man who took her hat, a group of young fans aged around 18 to 25 began throwing punches and kicking him.

She added: “It all lasted for less than say two or three minutes. Enough time for him to have been dragged or pushed down by sheer weight of numbers on to the ground. He had tried to defend himself, so yes, he threw a few punches back as any man would trying to defend himself against overwhelming odds.”

She said he was kicked to the jaw while he was sitting against a wall.

“Had my husband not seen it coming and moved his head slightly he might have lost an eye or sustained far more serious injuries than he did,” she said.

“He is 56 and old enough to be their grandfather. There were around 20 of them so he was hardly likely to provoke them even if he had a mind to for God’s sake. My husband is a kind, decent, gentle man who didn’t deserve this.”

She made a plea for anyone with information about the attackers to come forward.

An investigation has been launched by British Transport Police and officers are trawling CCTV footage.

The attack happened at about 10.15pm. Walsall took on Portsmouth at the Banks’s Stadium on Friday.

The victim was released from hospital on Sunday evening.

Pc Colin Barlow, Walsall football intelligence officer, said today: "We're requesting any witnesses to the incident or any information as to who is responsible for this attack to come forward."

Hearts fan banned from all UK grounds for falling down stairs - 08/01/2013

Source : http://www.scotsman.com

A HEARTS fan whose nosedive down the stands at Tynecastle made him an internet sensation claims the mishap has seen him banned from every football ground in the UK.

Francesco Fortucci, 36, suffered a nasty gash to his head after plummeting down a flight of concrete stairs during Thursday’s Edinburgh derby.

Footage of the calamity – captured on a Hibs supporter’s mobile phone – has clocked up more than 510,000 views since it was posted online three days ago.

But the crunching tumble – which has generated a raft of worried comments from football fans – has seen him banned from every football stadium in the UK.

The Jambos diehard took to Facebook to air his 
distress.

He said: “Entering a stadium while drunk. Currently banned from all stadia in UK . . . harsh.”

The barber had earlier told pals his alleged ban is indicative of everything that is wrong with the game.

He said: “There’s no denying it’s a sore one, however if I receive a banning order for simply falling then this will tell you everything that is wrong with Scottish football. I’m not the first person to fall down stairs at football and I won’t be the last.”

Mr Fortucci claimed that despite reports he had been helped back to his seat by Hearts ground staff, he had instead been taken straight from Tynecastle to a nearby police station.

He claimed: “Ushered back to my seat? P**h – try ushered down to St Leonard’s.”

It is understood Hearts security took no action over the accident which saw Mr Fortucci painfully somersault a pitchside gate and are not believed to be responsible for the banning order.

Lothian and Borders Police said any ban received by Mr Fortucci may be included in bail conditions, if he was arrested for his behaviour at the Edinburgh derby.

Fans at the game took to internet forums to discuss the trip.

One Hibs fan, Gunnerhibby, said on Hibees Bounce: “As he went down the stairs he seemed to miss one step then tried to compensate for it but his 
momentum just kept going. His triple salco at the bottom would easily have earned him a 6.0 at the Winter Olympics.”

Another, ajgoalie, said: “Great fall, lovely technique and the flip at the end! 8 points”, while WBFC1995 remarked: “Thanks for filming this, it made my day. Hahaha poor fella.”

Hearts fan Markhmfc123 said: “I seen this happen from section G and while he was lying in pain he was actually doing the 1-5 so get it right up the Hibees that were laughing!”

LMWYBC1996 said: “I’m a Hearts fan, and I found this pretty funny. Glad the guy’s OK; looked a sare yen.”

Mr Fortucci was unavailable for comment last night, and no-one was available for comment at the hairdressers he works at.

We told on Saturday how Justice Minister Kenny MacAskill believes late-night kick-offs should be reviewed following the controversial game which saw a ballboy allegedly spat at.

Coins were also thrown by opposing fans and a flare thrown at the Hibs support. Mr MacAskill said the scenes were “totally unacceptable”.

Bulgaria and Hungary told to play behind closed doors - 08/01/2013

Source : http://www.reuters.com

Bulgaria and Hungary were ordered to play their next home World Cup qualifiers behind closed doors after their fans were found guilty of racist and anti-Semitic behaviour in recent games, FIFA said Tuesday.

Bulgaria were sanctioned after a group of supporters racially abused Denmark substitute Patrick Mtiliga every time he touched the ball after entering the field in the second half of their 2014 World Cup qualifier in Sofia in October.

Hungary's punishment followed anti-Semitic chanting by fans in a friendly at home to Israel in August.

In both cases, FIFA's disciplinary committee warned that a repetition could lead to harsher penalties which include a possible points deduction, the forfeiting of the match or even disqualification from the competition.

In an unusually strongly-worded statement, FIFA described the incidents in Sofia as "offensive, denigratory and discriminatory" while the incidents in Budapest were labelled "abhorrent."

The sanctions came as FIFA's European counterpart UEFA is accused of being too lenient on cases of racism, letting offending clubs off with fines.

Porto, Lazio and Serbia have all been given fines over recent racism cases by European soccer's disciplinary committee although UEFA itself has appealed the Serbia decision, relating to an under-21 match at home to England, and asked for stronger sanctions.

Bulgaria, whose next home game in Group B is against Malta in March, were also fined 35,000 Swiss francs and Hungary, who host Romania also in March in Group D, were fined 40,000 francs.

Hungary's match is potentially decisive as the two sides are level in second place with nine points, three behind leaders and clear favourites Netherlands.

FIFA said that during the Bulgaria match, also marred by a firework-throwing incident in the seventh-minute, fans were warned by the stadium announcer about their behaviour in the 73rd minute.

"Although the level of abuse subsided, audible racist abuse still continued until the final whistle," said FIFA.

"The disciplinary committee agreed that the offensive, denigratory and discriminatory actions of a small group of Bulgarian supporters, was shameful and a clear breach of the FIFA Disciplinary Code.

"In addition, the incendiary devices thrown, which can pose considerable threats to personal safety, are also not tolerated."

FIFA said that in Hungary's case, it had been informed by the FARE (Football Against Racism Europe) group that some supporters had made anti-Semitic chants and displayed offensive symbols.

"The members of the FIFA disciplinary committee were unanimous in condemning an abhorrent episode of racism, anti-Semitism, and of political provocative and aggressive nature perpetrated by supporters of the Hungarian national team," said FIFA.

It added that the Hungarian federation had acknowledged and regretted the fans' behaviour.


(Archive)

Pro Patria ordered to play one match behind closed doors following racial abuse of AC Milan players - 09/01/2013

Source : http://www.goal.com

The club's supporters subjected several players to abuse in a friendly last Thursday, and have now been handed a heftier sanction than the €5,000 fine they previously received

Pro Patria have been ordered to play one game behind closed doors following the racial abuse of AC Milan players.

Kevin-Prince Boateng left the pitch after being subjected to the abuse during a mid-season friendly last Thursday, and was followed off by captain Massimo Ambrosini and the rest of his team-mates.

The Lega Pro, the body that oversees Italian football's third and fourth tiers, has handed out the punishment to Pro Patria, who had already been fined €5,000 earlier this season for similar misdemeanours.

"The Lega Pro will impose on the club Aurora Pro Patria the sanction of the obligation to play a league match behind closed doors with immediate effect, with the caveat that a further breach will be evaluated as an occurrence of multiple violations, for the purposes of the subsequent sanction," a statement read.

"The behaviour of the Pro Patria supporters appeared to be particularly serious as it was a clear manifestation of racist discrimination during a friendly game, so there was no sporting tension or spirit of competition.

"These are not to be considered justification of course, but can be seen as attenuating circumstances when working out punishment.

"The sanction for incidents of this nature is not only punishment, but also a preventative measure to avoid a repeat incident. In the current season, Pro Patria had already been fined €5,000 for incidents of this nature which has proved to be ineffective."

Boateng's team-mates - who followed him down the tunnel - have publicly backed his stance, along with prominent figures from the football world.