Season 05/06 - April

Lapsed bans allow 700 England hooligans to go to World Cup - 06/04/2006

Source : AFP

More than 700 known England football hooligans will be free to travel to this year's World Cup in Germany, despite a record number of banning orders being in place, a newspaper reported.

The Times newspaper said Football Banning Orders will be in force on 4,000 troublemakers, meaning they will have to surrender their passports for the duration of the tournament.

But of the 877 three-year bans that will have expired before the start of the competition on June 9, the Home Office has only sought to renew 161, meaning 716 will be able to make the short trip to Germany, it added.

All of those handed bans have been involved in football-related violence in or around grounds in Britain.

A Home Office spokesman was quoted as saying: "In most cases, individuals cease to be a threat once subject to a banning order -- they lose contact and status with their peer group, they move on and grow up.

"That's why the number of individuals subject to follow-on banning orders is relatively few."

The newspaper, quoting unnamed senior police sources, said any of the 716 who do travel will be closely monitored by British police "spotters", on hand to assist their German counterparts in rooting out potential troublemakers.

They will also be prevented from buying tickets for England's matches through the official England supporters' club, it added.

British police have taken a pro-active approach in recent tournaments to prevent repeats of the hooliganism that blighted England's involvement in overseas competitions in the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s.

Action includes increased use of Football Banning Orders, plus having plain-clothes and uniformed officers on the ground working with their foreign counterparts to minimise trouble.

Fans warned after Uefa violence - 06/04/2006

Source : BBC NEWS

Police have appealed for calm ahead of Middlesbrough's Uefa Cup quarter-final clash with Swiss club Basel.

Last week saw violence on Boro's away leg of the tournament in which a Teesside man was arrested after a steward received serious head injuries.

Fights began when Middlesbrough fans crossed segregation lines in the stadium shortly after the home side scored two goals three minutes.

Cleveland Police urged fans not to mar the match with "mindless violence".

A spokesman for Cleveland Police said: "We are working together with Middlesbrough Football Club and other agencies to ensure that the evening is enjoyable for everyone concerned.

'True fans'

"We want to see this as a family occasion and would urge all fans to behave in a manner that promotes the town and the football club.

"We know this is a crucial game for the Boro and this makes it all the more important that the match is not marred by any mindless violence.

"We would urge all true football fans in this area to get behind the Boro and to make this a night to remember for all the good reasons."

Middlesbrough lost the first leg of the tie 2-0.

Last month three Boro fans were stabbed and at least 10 others injured ahead of Middlesbrough's Uefa Cup clash against AS Roma.

Fans fined for violence before Steaua-Rapid clash-6/04/2006

Source:Reuters

Police fined 20 fans for violent behaviour hours before city rivals Steaua and Rapid were due to play their UEFA Cup quarter-final, second leg on Thursday.
A police spokesman said supporters of both teams met at two crossroads on the way to the stadium and started fighting.
"Police intervention was fast and prompt," the spokesman told reporters. "Twenty of them (supporters) were taken to the closest police station and were fined a total of 20,000 lei ($6,981)."
Rapid and Steaua drew 1-1 in the first leg of the tie last week.
Romanian police have designated Thursday's match a maximum risk game.
More than 2,500 police, mounted gendarmes and riot police from Bucharest and four surrounding areas will be stationed in and around the Lia Manoliu stadium.
Police banned the sale of alcohol in shops in the area from five hours before kickoff (1730GMT) and will search all spectators entering the stadium.

Video
Rapid fans tried to reach Steaua fans situated near them, with 30 minutes before kick-off.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O1zT_7Qb1eQ&eurl=

Hull City - Sheffield United - 07/04/2006

Source: forum - Sheffield lad view

30/35 a side on a back street with no ob in sight , both sides straight in and bang at it.

The BBC do hull and run them , few hull laid out.

Wigan Athletic - Birmingham City - 08/04/2006

Source: forum

About 40 locals attacked a pub where bout 25 City lads were inside.
Blues lads got the hupper hand.
Another fight took place in another pub, opposing about 35 Blues to 15 Latics.

La Spezia - Genoa - 06/04/2006

Source : ANSA

Omonoia - Apoel - 08/04/2006

Source : AP


A riot policeman walks by a flare on the stands side of Apoel after a Cyprus first division soccer league match between Omonoia and Apoel

FC Metz - Troyes - 08/04/2006

Source : Républicain Lorrain + GG website

Cagliari - AC Palermo - 09/04/2006

Source: Ansa

Prior to the game, a group of local ultras (50) assaulted Palermo fans, using bottles and batons. 3 Cagliari fans were arrested, A.G., 34 years aged old, M.U., 22, and A.P., 24.

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PALERMO FANS PLUNDER SHIP, ESCORTED

Source : AGI

The ship which was carrying the 65 fans of the Palermo team from Sardinia to Civitavecchia, who last night plundered the bars, kitchens and restaurants of a Tirrenia ferry, was followed. And so, around half past midnight, the motor boat Aurelia found forty police waiting for them at the dock, including police, Carabinieri and financial police. In order to restore calm to the ship, which was almost empty, after a night of plundering and damage, a few dozen police officers got on board. The arrival is expected around 10.30 in the Lazio port, where the fans will be identified and most likely be reported. Yesterday evening's episode on the ship is the latest in a series of violent acts which in Cagliari kept the forces of order occupied for the entire day, before and after the match between Cagliari and Palermo, which ended 1-1. In the morning, a group of hooligans from the Cagliari team had lain in wait for a bus which was bringing the rival team's fans to the stadium, with the hurling of objects at the escorting officers. Four Cagliari supporters were arrested. In the afternoon there was another attempt at assault on the Palermo team shortly before the boarding on the ferry in the Cagliari port was thwarted by Crabinieri in the streets of the Marina zone. An eighteen-year-old was arrested.

UD Almeria - Ejido - 08/04/2006

Source: forum

At the end of the game, it seems, local ultras joined by a few English (?) charged on police forces.

RC Lens - Paris SG - 08/04/2006

Source : planete-lens





PSG mob

Thanks to the sender !

Sparta Praha - Slavia Praha - 08/04/2006

Source : REDWHITE POWER

India - England (cricket) - 09/04/2006

Source : AFP

Abandoned India-England match sparks crowd violence

Police fired tear gas on cricket fans who turned violent after the fifth one-day international between India and England was abandoned without a ball being bowled.

Spectators threw missiles on to the field and set advertising hoardings on fire after umpires Rudi Koertzen and Arani Jayaprakash decided no play would be possible due to wet ground conditions following overnight rain.

"I am disappointed that there was no match today. But if such things (crowd violence) happen, Guwahati might not have a game again," South African umpire Koertzen said on Sunday.

Two policemen and one spectator were injured in the violence.

India have already clinched the seven-match series after winning the first four games.

Thousands had begun packing into the stadium since early morning and a section of the crowd grew restless as hopes of even an abbreviated match vanished. They then attacked policemen with water bottles and sticks.

The police fired tear gas to disperse the angry spectators, who tore down fencing around sections of the field and pelted stones at television cameras.

The two teams were taken to their hotel just as the violence broke out.

"Trouble started when people realised there was no possibility of a match. They started throwing bottles and stones on to the ground," said Deputy Police Commissioner Avinash Joshi.

"I guess frustration was the main cause. Some of them have been waiting since five in the morning. But police successfully handled the situation though two of our policemen were injured in the process."

Authorities had even used a helicopter in an attempt to dry the ground, with the blades pushing wind downwards, but to no avail.

"We had to consider the safety of the players and both camps were adamant they were not happy with the run-ups and the fielding areas, particularly the slip cordon," umpire Koertzen said.

"That is why it had to be called off.

"People have been sitting here all day waiting for the game to take place. They haven't had any cricket for years so you can understand how they feel," the South African said.

The local Assam Cricket Association said they will protest the umpires' decision to abandon the match.

"We are not satisfied with the umpires' decision and we will write to the International Cricket Council about it," association spokesman Bikash Barooah said.

"We tried our best to organise the match. We hired the helicopter. From our organisation's side, we have done everything possible.

"I went to the players' dressing rooms, they told me 'Yes, if the umpires decide, we are ready to play'.

"The crowd, however, will get their money back because we insured the match."

Guwahati is the main city in the restive northeastern state of Assam and the players were given tight security.

The sixth one-dayer will be played in Jamshedpur on Wednesday with the final match in Indore on Saturday.

Inter president condemns thugs after assault on players - 09/04/2006

Source : AFP

Inter Milan president Giacinto Facchetti condemned the group of fans who attacked several of the club's players at Milan's Malpensa airport.

In the early hours of Sunday morning, around 100 Inter supporters, still angry about their team's exit from the Champions League on Tuesday, were waiting for the squad as they got off their flight from Ascoli, where they had won 2-1 on Saturday evening.

Several Inter players were set upon and midfielder Cristiano Zanetti was struck on the back of the head.

"We cannot accept it when disappointment degenerates into violence," Facchetti said.

"What happened at Malpensa airport when the team returned from Ascoli is unacceptable.

"Violence is unacceptable for those who declare themselves as Inter fans."

As a gesture of solidarity for their city rivals, AC Milan delayed the kick-off of their match against Chievo on Sunday by 10 minutes.

The decision was taken by AC Milan's vice-president Adriano Galliani, who is also the president of the Italian football league.

Facchetti was appreciative of AC Milan's show of support.

"On behalf of the club and the team I want to thank Milan and their players for the solidarity shown towards Inter after what happened at Malpensa," he said.

"If we all want to restore to football the true values of the sport, we must remember that rivalry never obscures reciprocal respect."

Galliani said the AC Milan players persuaded him to make the gesture.

"A request was made by our players. Alessandro Costacurta led the way," he said.

"Chievo president Campedelli agreed with us and accepted the decision."

The Italian Cup is Inter's only realistic hope of landing a trophy this season.

The last time they won the Serie A title was back in 1989 and they were last crowned European champions in 1965.

FK Vojvodina - FK Zemun - 08/04/2006

Source : Red-Firm website


Zemun mob

Fans warned about derby violence - 07/04/2006

Source : BBC NEWS

Police are taking a zero tolerance attitude to football violence over the weekend when Watford and Luton play a derby game.

Police forces in Hertfordshire and Bedfordshire are warning fans they face immediate arrest if there is trouble.

A number of supporters have already been banned from the game under the Football (Offences) Act.

Police will be among the Vicarage Road crowd to spot potential trouble makers on Sunday.

Sup Iain McVie said: "We want everyone to enjoy the game but if there is trouble either in or outside the stadium it will result in immediate arrest."

All supporters are being advised to use pre-arranged transport to get to the town as car parking is extremely limited.

The game is a sell-out, so fans should not to turn up without a ticket.

Twenty men were jailed in December 2003 after violence at two previous games between the two sides.

Polonia Warszawa - Legia Warszawa - 09/04/2006

Source : LEGIALIVE website

Sparta Prague - Slavia Prague - 08/04/2006

photo of 120 lads from Sparta, very good group!

Police warn fans over gates demo - 07/04/2006

Source : BBC NEWS

Disgruntled Sunderland fans have been warned they face heightened security at Saturday's home game with Fulham after recent confrontations with police.

The club faces relegation from the Premiership and fans have called for a change in boardroom personnel.
But two recent end-of-match protests by supporters have ended in clashes with police outside the Stadium of Light.
Now the club and Northumbria Police have warned tough
action will be taken against those "intent on disorder".
The club's head of safety and security, John Davidson, said: "It is important for fans to understand that there has been a small minority using the otherwise peaceful demonstration to cause disorder and they are affecting the safety of others.

Various offences

"I am sure fans would not condone any such behaviour and would wish to disassociate themselves from these actions."
During recent demonstrations outside the stadium main gates, there were scuffles with police, some of whom came under fire from thrown coins.
Several arrests were made for various offences and some court cases are pending.
A spokesman for fans' group Save Our Sunderland, urged supporters not to enter into violent demonstrations.
He said: "We ask fans to not get involved in any demonstration at the gates.
"Save our Sunderland do not condone any coin throwing or clashes with the police or stewards and urge fans to express their concerns in a peaceful and lawful manner in line with the request of the club."

Racing Santander - FC Barcelona - 09/04/2006

Source : BBC SPORT

Eto'o is target of more abuse

Spain's football authorities are set to sanction Racing Santander, after their fans racially abused Barcelona's Cameroonian striker Samuel Eto'o during a league match.

Santander's fans bombarded Eto'o with monkey chants and the club awaits their punishment from the Spanish Football Federation's (RFEF) disciplinary committee.

Eto'o angrily kicked the corner flag after scoring in Sunday's 2-2 draw, following chanting from the stands.

But he tried to maintain his composure as several players walked over to commiserate with him.

"The disciplinary committee is meeting Tuesday and they will be discussing all the incidents of the latest round of matches," said a federation spokesman.

"What the referee puts in his match report will determine what they decide."

Under a new anti-racism crackdown launched by Fifa last month, offending clubs face a three-point deduction for a first offence, six for a second and possibly relegation in case of repeated incidents.

A three-point deduction for Santander would send them into the relegation zone but it was not clear if the RFEF has adopted the new Fifa guidelines.

Spain's government tabled a bill aimed at clamping down on racism and doping in sport a month ago, harmonising its legislation with the European Union equivalent.

Earlier this season, Eto'o had threatened to walk off the pitch, after a section of Real Zaragoza fans made similar monkey noises at them.

Zaragoza were subsequently fined a paltry $11,000 by the Spanish Football Federation.

Attacks lead Mancini to consider quitting Italy - 10/04/2006

Source : REÜTERS

Inter Milan coach Roberto Mancini, whose players were attacked by fans at the weekend, said he would leave Italian soccer when his time at the Serie A club ends.

Inter's Argentine captain Javier Zanetti and Italian midfielder Cristiano Zanetti were punched and kicked by fans at Malpensa airport, near Milan, as they returned from Saturday's Serie A win at Ascoli.

"This matter has speeded up my plans to go abroad -- when I finish with Inter I will leave Italy, that's a certainty," Mancini said on Monday.

"Playing and enjoying yourself, which is what the game is all about, is no longer possible. You can't win or lose and think only about what happens on the field, unfortunately if you lose you have to think about other things as well," he added.

Mancini, who has come under pressure following Inter's Champions League elimination by Spain's Villarreal last week, said he was not about to throw in the towel however.

"For my part, there is still the desire to carry on. I do it because I like this sport and enjoy being out on the field with the players -- I don't do it for money as some have said. Passion is the motivation that pushes me," he said.

Mancini's comments came after the president of the Italian Footballers' Association called for a change in the culture surrounding the country's favourite sport.

'STUPID VIOLENCE'

"This was an episode of barbarity, intolerance and stupid violence fuelled by the hysteria that surrounds football in Italy," Sergio Campana told Radio Anch'io.

"We need a cultural revolution, we need to learn to lose gracefully. But I believe it will take a generation."

The incident occurred in the early hours of Sunday as Inter players exited the terminal building at Malpensa airport, where they were met by about 50 fans, angry at last week's Champions League exit.

Most of the fans limited themselves to hurling insults, but the situation degenerated in the car park. Javier Zanetti and Cristiano Zanetti were punched and kicked by a smaller group before police intervened. Neither player was seriously injured.

"We're talking about it now because the victims are footballers at Inter, but the outbreaks of violence are frequent, above all in Serie C (Italy's third division) and, I'm sorry to say it, on the pitches in the centre-south of Italy," Campana said.

"Attacks outside the stadiums, in the dressing rooms, buses stopped as they come back from away matches, cars vandalised, threatening telephone calls at home.

"And we shouldn't make the mistake of blaming it all on a minority of fans."

VIOLENCE CONDEMNED

Inter president Giacinto Facchetti condemned the violence.

"We cannot accept that disappointment degenerates into violence. Violence is unacceptable for anyone that declares himself an Inter fan," he said in a statement on the club's website.

The police chief at Malpensa airport, Enzo Ricciardi, said he would be studying closed-circuit television footage of the incident.

"We have enough evidence to be able to identity some of the people that were involved," he was quoted as saying in La Gazzetta dello Sport.

In recent years, Inter have built up a reputation as having one of the most violent fan-bases in Italian football, the outbreaks of aggression often coinciding with disappointing results.

In December 2000, they threw a Molotov cocktail at Inter's team bus as it entered the San Siro stadium before a Cup match against Parma.

Last season, they brought the second leg of their Champions League quarter-final against AC Milan to a halt by raining flares and fire-crackers down on the pitch.

The match, which Inter were losing, was abandoned and UEFA ordered the club to play their next four European matches behind closed doors.

Orleta - Granica Ketrzyn - 08/04/2006

Source : ORLĘTA website

French government adopts tough new anti-hooliganism stance - 11/04/2006

Source : AFP

France's interior minister Nicolas Sarkozy has declared a "zero-tolerance" policy towards hooligans after parliament adopted a new bill aimed at combatting violence in sport.

Under the new measures, announced Tuesday, hooligans face up to two years in prison and a 30,000 euro (36,000 dollars) fine for repeat offenses.

"We cannot even tolerate a handful of individual racists, idiots, thugs, who have no respect for sport, for athletes, for spectators, who allow themsleves to disrupt matches, insult players and wreak havoc on sporting institutions," said Sarkozy.

Hooliganism has been on the increase in France recently with Paris St Germain fans even turning on each other at a service station on the way home from a match at Nantes recently.


PSG fans fought with the french CRS during a OM-PSG game

Panathinaikos - Olympiakos (basket) - 10/04/2006

Source : Contra.gr

Croatian hooligans free to travel to Germany - 05/04/2006

Source : EXPATICA

Croatian football hooligans, even if they are known offenders, will be allowed to travel unhindered to the World Cup in Germany this summer, the Zagreb daily Vecernji List said Wednesday.
"Unlike Great Britain, Croatia did not send the list of fans who have taken part in violence on matches, because there was no legal grounds for that," the newspaper said.
Croatia's draft law which foresees the creation of a database of problematic fans and measures against hooligans - including a temporary withdrawal of passports - has not been passed yet.
Despite the massive problems they frequently create, most hooligans eventually face only minor fines, instead of the criminal procedure foreseen by the draft law.
"It may well happen that the 'boys from Malta' will easily travel to Germany," the newspaper added, referring to a gang of a few hundred fans who started a massive brawl on Malta last year during World Cup qualifications.
The daily estimated that there are several thousand persistently violent fans in Croatia. They wreak havoc on international and domestic matches in football and other sports.