Season 06/07 - January

PSG: Two sections of stands at Paris' Parc des Prince to remain closed - 03/01/2007

Source : Herald Tribune

Paris police said Wednesday two sections of the city's violence-plagued Parc des Princes soccer stadium, closed after the November shooting death of spectator, would remain off-limits for the immediate future.

The "conditions permitting a reopening have not been met," the police said in a statement Wednesday following a meeting with authorities in charge of security at the stadium, in western Paris.

Two sections of the stands — R1 and R2 — have been closed since the Nov. 23 death of Paris Saint-Germain supporter Julien Quemener, who was shot and killed by police officer Antoine Granomort after a UEFA Cup match between PSG and Hapoel Tel Aviv.

Granomort, who is black, was protecting a Jewish fan under attack from supporters shouting racist and anti-Semitic epithets.

Stadium security authorities are to meet again later this month to decide whether to open the sections, where PSG's violent far-right fan base known as The Independents is known to gather.

Cyprus: Judge calls on photographic evidence for suspected hooligans - 05/01/2007

Source : Cyprus Mail

A NICOSIA Court yesterday called on police to present photographic evidence in the remand hearing of three men.

It was the first time that a Cypriot court had allowed photographic evidence to be presented to the court during a police custody hearing for suspects.

The remand hearing involved three supporters accused of assault and violent behaviour during a basketball game on Saturday at Nicosia’s Eleftheria Stadium.

Despite the landmark ruling from the judge, the pictures were unable to be shown to the court because police investigator Andreas Chrysanthou only had the pictures on CD and the court was not able to provide a computer in the courtroom on such short notice.

Police have arrested Andreas Mamas, 21, Georgios Tryfonos, 20, and Kyriakos Nathaniel, 21, on suspicion of throwing objects into a sports arena, possession of dangerous weapons at a sports arena, causing public disturbance during a sports game, assault and causing grievous bodily harm.

Investigators have also issued arrest warrants for another three men, aged 20, 19 and 27, in connection with the same crime while a further 15 people, who have yet to be identified but are scene committing violent behaviour on television footage, are also wanted for questioning.
The decision of Judge Angelos David to allow the pictures to be presented in the courtroom at such an early stage came about after the lawyer of one of the suspects stated that his client could not be connected to the crime unless the pictures were showed to the court showing the suspect committing a crime.

“The investigator has told us that my client is seen committing a crime in the pictures,” said defence lawyer Chris Triantafyllides.

“My client says that he was shown the pictures and that at no time was he shown committing an illegal act. Judging from what was shown in the pictures, the police want to keep my client in prison, so let’s see if my client is indeed seen in the pictures.”

The pictures had been taken from video footage showing a group of Omonia fans attacking a fan from APOEL during the televised game.

Initially Judge David had declined the request of Triantafyllides but later reversed his decision.
The session was then adjourned for a short while as officers went back to the police station to pick up the pictures.

But the judge was far from impressed once the session resumed when the investigator showed to the court a CD, telling the judge “that they did not have print outs of the pictures”.

A plea bargain was later struck between the defence and state prosecutor Anna Yiallourou in which all suspects would remain in remand for two days.

The investigator had initially requested a remand period of four days.

On Saturday, there were violent clashes between rival fans of APOEL and Omonia during a basketball match which was being televised live.

The three suspects are believed to have been part of a gang that attacked and injured an APOEL fan after the game had finished.

Italy: CLUB BLACKMAILED, 10 MILAN FANS INVESTIGATED - 05/01/2007

Source : AGI

Ten Milan fans are investigated by the prosecutor of Monza for attempted extortion of the club. The hooligans are accused of blackmail and threats to disturb matches, for economic advantage regarding tickets and gadgets. Another objective of the fans was to get more credit within the circle of fans. In an attempt to become more powerful within the group of fans, a 32-year-old from Cogliate (Milan) was ambushed and injured on October 17 during a series of shots.

France: Police to maintain high-profile presence at PSG's Parc des Princes - 06/01/2007

Source : Herald Tribune

Security will remain tight for Paris Saint-Germain's French Cup match against Nimes on Sunday, with about 1,500 police officers around the Parc des Princes stadium.

The perimeter around the stadium will be closed off to all except fans holding tickets, club employees, and officials, police officials said late Friday.

Transport police will also ensure maximum surveillance of all mainland and underground train networks toward the stadium in western Paris.

"Rigorous measures of security will put into place," Paris police said in a statement. "There will be an increased number of stewards controlling access to the stadium, and metal detectors will be used by the police."

Two sections of the stadium are to remain closed until at least the end of the month, after the shooting death of a supporter in November.

Two sections of the Kop of Boulogne — R1 and R2 — have been closed since the Nov. 23 death of Paris Saint-Germain supporter Julien Quemener, who was shot and killed by police officer Antoine Granomort after a UEFA Cup match against Hapoel Tel Aviv.

Granomort, who is black, was protecting a Jewish fan under attack from supporters shouting racist and anti-Semitic epithets.

Stadium security authorities are to meet again later this month to decide whether to open the sections, where PSG's violent far-right fan base known as The Independents is known to gather.

The Kop of Boulogne has long had a problem with violence and racism, since violence first erupted there at a France-England match in 1984.

Police fear that the shooting will prompt reprisal attacks from PSG's hardcore element, and said earlier this week that they feel PSG has still not taken enough measures to ensure security.

Cardiff City - Tottenham Hotspurs - Cup - 07/01/2007

Source: forum + Teamtalk

Spurs firm were inside a pub in Grange Town. A mob of locals went there. A windows put through and Spurs try steaming out the pub, only to be smashed in the doorway. OB then run around and charge the Cardiff away.

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With 12 minutes left riot police were needed to control a disturbance at the away end, while home fans lit a flare in the same stand.

CITY TO INVESTIGATE FLARE INCIDENT - 08/01/2007

Source : Football365

Cardiff will hand out life bans to supporters found to have lit a flare during the FA Cup third-round goalless draw against Tottenham at Ninian Park.

Police in riot gear were forced to surround the Spurs fans after the flare was lit in the Grange End terrace.

Six people were arrested after the match for public order offences, and the club are now looking into the incidents of the game.

A statement on the club's official website said: "The club are examining very seriously the behaviour of a group of our "supporters" on the Grange End terrace at the FA Cup game with Tottenham Hotspur.

"A small section of our "supporters" seemed intent on causing trouble culminating in a flare being lit on the terrace. As a club, we will not tolerate this behaviour and will punish all guilty parties with immediate life bans from Ninian Park.

"We are currently, in conjunction with the police, examining all photographic and video evidence to identify the culprits and are also reviewing our Concessions Policy in this section of the stadium."

Maximum ban for football hooligan - 08/01/2007

Source : BBC News

A football hooligan who pushed a police officer to the ground during last year's World Cup in Germany has been banned from matches for three years.

Ben Heathcote, 24, from Lymington. Hampshire, was also captured on CCTV throwing full glasses of beer during clashes between fans in Stuttgart.

At Southampton Magistrates' Court on Monday, Heathcote received the maximum ban under the Football Supporters Act.

The carpet fitter must surrender his passport during England matches abroad.

The court was told that on 24 June last year, Heathcote, of Lower Buckland Road, was involved in clashes between England and Germany fans, which led to missiles being thrown.

Nick Hawkins, the Crown Prosecution Service's lead prosecutor on football disorder, said: "When he (Heathcote) was about to be arrested by a chief inspector of the German police, he resisted arrest and pushed him away, causing him to fall over."

Heathcote appeared in court in Germany and was sentenced to three months' imprisonment suspended for two years.

Mr Hawkins said Heathcote told the German court: "I'm sorry for my actions."

The Southampton court was told that Heathcote had several previous convictions for public disorder and racially-aggravated assault.

Imposing the maximum ban, Judge Lorraine Morgan said it was necessary to prevent violent disorder and to regulate football matches.

"This is not a matter of one-off behaviour, but consistent with your behaviour in the past," she added.

Heathcote was ordered to pay £55 costs.

Apollon Limassol FC - APOEL FC - 06/01/2007

Source : Cyprus Mail

Hooligans strike again at weekend games

TWO SUPPORTERS of APOEL football club were injured as the bus they were on was attacked by rival Apollon supporters after Saturday’s league game between the two sides in Limassol.
The two supporters, aged 20 and 23, suffered minor injuries from the shattered glass of the bus window and were escorted to Nicosia General Hospital by a police patrol car.

The bus was attacked as it left Limassol at the Ayios Athanasios roundabout.

Police also announced that crowd troubled occurred during the game which took place at the Tsirion Athletic Centre. Supporters, suspected to have been from the APOEL stands, through Molotov cocktails and burning the plastic seats causing around £800 worth of damage to the ground.

Police and Fire Service officials were also called to the north sector of the ground after a small fire broke out due to what a stadium official believes was a result of a Molotov cocktail exploding.
Before kickoff, a 24-year-old Apollon supporter was arrested for swearing at police officers after being asked to be searched by officers inspecting fans going into the stadium.

He was charged at a local police station and then shortly released.

The game finished 2-1 in favour of Apollon.

Hooliganism: The French disease? - 08/01/2007

Source : ESPN

A young fan chased through the streets post-game by a horde of opposing supporters baying for his blood to assuage the defeat suffered by their team on the pitch.

They catch him, a policeman pulls him from the mob's clutches, only to then himself be attacked&he falls to the ground, pulls his gun and fires. One of the crowd is seriously injured, another's family will never see their son again.

No, not a Hollywood film, not even the dark days of English football hooliganism. This is November 23, 2006, in Paris, where a UEFA Cup match between Paris Saint Germain and Hapoel Tel Aviv ended with 25-year-old Julien Quemener being shot dead.

Despite the outrage, hold back your tears for the deceased who - if reports are to be believed - was a member of the Boulogne Boys, PSG's and France's most notorious, extreme right-wing group of football hooligans whose motif of a skull wearing a top hat gives more than a hint of their activities.

PSG's association with violence may not be quite as old as the trade plied by the prostitutes in the nearby Bois de Boulogne, but for a club only born in 1970, it can lay claim to a history embarrassingly and extensively scarred by hooliganism.

'What surprised me is that someone died,' admitted Thierry Vautrat, a football journalist with the major regional paper Sud Ouest since 1993. 'But the way the supporters acted didn't surprise me at all as everyone knows that the Parisian supporters are amongst the worst you can find in our country.

'We knew that they were capable of something like that. They all have pro-Nazi leanings. We knew that one day something like that would happen and they probably took the Hapoel Tel Aviv game as an opportunity to try and beat someone up.'

Formed in 1985, the Boulogne Boys - in part christened after the end in which they sit at the Parc des Princes - owe the other half of their name to their misplaced reverence for the English hooligan of the 1980s.

While English football has embraced the ooh-la-la of Arsene Wenger and Thierry Henry, PSG's hooligans have imported the zeitgeist of Heysel.

The Boulogne Boys' love affair with hooliganism started in the city of romance itself after a 1984 'rumble' following a friendly between England and the hosts led to a surprise 'result' for the French and thus was born the legend on which their association was forged.

The cycle of violence has been spiralling upwards ever since - here's a snippet of the 'highlights.'

A member of the French riot police was badly beaten in 1993, which led to PSG becoming the first French club to install stewards as in-stadium security; a supporter of arch-rivals Marseille was left paralysed after a seat-cum-missile struck him on the head - PSG bought him a computer by way of 'compensation'; while the 2001 Champions League encounter with Galatasaray was interrupted as rival supporters ran amok on the Parc des Princes terraces.

UEFA banned PSG from using their ground for three European games, but still the club's hierarchy failed to take action, and when then-president Francis Graille tried to turn the screw on the troublemakers in 2004, he received death threats and had coffins delivered to his home before backing down and relieving his head of security - a no-nonsense former police commissioner - of his duties.

Only this season, then-Rennes chairman Emmanuel Cueff said at the Bretons' game in the capital two friends witnessed one of France's many men of African origin being chased by PSG yobs, while on an away day in November, the 'prey' was not quite so lucky.

A black Le Mans supporter was badly beaten by four Parisian hooligans, one of whom went on to describe himself in court as 'the stereotype of a skinhead. A person of the white race, who gives facist salutes.'

'Politicians have been in the stands of the Parc des Princes for the last twenty years, they must have seen the Nazi salutes,' says Lawrence Leenhardt, a freelance journalist and correspondant for France's leading sports media.

'They merely had to turn their heads and do something about it. The photos of supporters we've seen on the news are archive photos, so we know who they are. I don't know why they didn't do anything. But we shouldn't have had to wait for a death before acting.'

Sensitive to the need for their fledgling organisation to develop a passionate support worthy of a club from the capital, the club's directors followed what France's League against Racism and Anti-Semitism called 'an ambiguous policy,' turning a blind eye to the excesses of their more unsavoury followers in order to preserve the ambiance inside the stadium.

But after years of laissez-faire, the will both from the club and political circles to do something to solve the problem now seems to be there.

Perhaps motivated by threats from the Paris mayor's office to pull the plug on their 2.3m euro hand-out from the city, current club president Alain Cayzac talked of 'an illness that needs curing' and promised to 'do everything in [his] power to restore the situation.'

And with his conservative boss Nicolas Sarkozy hoping to score points ahead of this year's presidential elections, Michel Lepoix at the Ministry of the Interior couched his battlecry in black-and-white George Dubya terms.

'If they want a war, we'll give them a war,' said Lepoix, known as 'Monsieur Anti-Hooligan.'

'We're no longer in a footballing context. If their method of making war is to chase Jews because they're Jews or chase others because of their skin colour, then OK. We're ready. There'll be a pre-November 23 and a post-November 23.'

The two most notorious sectors of the Parc des Princes - those frequented by the Boulogne Boys and the ultra-violent independants - were closed and the home game following the incident was postponed in a bid to diffuse the tension, while a five-point plan to deal with the problem was hastily drawn up.

Ticketing for PSG games will now be tightly controlled through official outlets, supporters' associations involved in violence can now be dissolved, while the number of fans banned from the Parc des Princes has more than tripled since the incident.

But the moves provoked accusations of political opportunism on the part of Sarkozy, who also attracted fierce criticism for discussing the situation with leaders of supporters groups, including - incredibly - Pierre-Louis Dupont, chief of the Boulogne Boys and currently serving a three-year stadium ban after bringing a flare into a game in 2005.

And for all the fanfare, the effect of the measures themselves appears limited.

The power to ban violent fans from stadia came into force last March, but had - and still has - barely been used; supporters from dissolved associations will not necessarily be banned from attending games, while many of the ringleaders operate in the murky waters outside the remit of organised supporters' groups.

Ironically, many are advocating the 'zero tolerance' approach pioneered by the English in rooting out their hooligan element, but Lawrence Leenhardt believes the French powers-that-be lack the backbone to back up their tough talking with equally tough action.

'They don't dare do what they need to do,' she claims. 'Maybe the directors don't want to be the ones remembered for taking steps to forbid people from going to the stadium. The measures are too weak compared to the scale of the problem. I think if England has managed to solve that problem, then we should follow their example.

'You have got to fight fire with fire. All of those who have a history of violence have to be stopped from going to the stadium. What difference does it make if there are four hundred less people in the ground?'

Vincent Bregevin, a journalist and PSG season ticket holder seated adjacent to the Boulogne kop for the last ten years, agrees.

'What happened after the game with Hapoel Tel Aviv was what was needed to begin the development of an anti-hooligan strategy,' he says. 'For more than a decade, people have been willing someone to do something about these PSG supporters, but no-one has lifted a finger. They've been ruining my matches for ten years with their racist chants. England has cleaned out its stands. That's what we have to do at PSG.'

But while the Boulogne Boys are undoubtedly the vanguard, they are not alone.

A young policeman lost two fingers in Nice after picking up an agricultural flare thrown by a Marseille fan in October; three were hospitalised after brawls between Nice and Saint Etienne supporters before their sides' game in November; while Strasbourg's hard core hooligan element, the Meinau Boys, invited their Feyenoord counterparts to 'participate' at a home game just days after the Dutch had marred a UEFA Cup tie at Nancy.

According to sports daily L'Equipe, a number of professional clubs have their associated hooligan groups, most with a British style moniker, including the delightfully entitled Nancy Casual Firm, and numbering in their hundreds at PSG down to a handful at Strasbourg.

But Lawrence Leenhardt warns the death of Julien Quemener has brought to the surface sentiments which had always been bubbling under at even the most sedate of clubs.

'The problem is that people at other clubs say, 'It's only a problem in Paris, that could never happen at our club.' The fans at Bordeaux say they are anti-racist, but they unfurled a banner which read 'RIP Julien.'

'He might have been a supporter, but he was also an aggressor. That shocks me. That has happened at all the clubs, even those who proclaim themselves anti-racist. People have forgotten all about the violence that provoked his death.'

Police face down the City thugs - 10/01/2007

Source : ic Wales

This is the moment police came under attack from football fans after the FA Cup game between Cardiff City and Tottenham Hotspur.

Concrete slabs, bottles and stones were thrown at officers and police horses who were trying to prevent Bluebird hooligans attacking rival fans near Ninian Park on Sunday.

A post-match inquiry team is currently trawling through video footage of the violence in Sloper Road and next week plan to release photographs of the wanted troublemakers to the Echo.

Meanwhile, police and the club are still appealing for information on the person who launched a distress flare from the Grange End at opposing fans, narrowly missing an officer in the stadium.

Chief Superintendent Bob Evans said: 'The disorder and missile throwing was quickly disrupted by police but the individuals involved let themselves and their clubs down.

'As always the vast majority of fans at the match were well behaved and enjoyed the day of football.

'There were however a number of minor skirmishes before the game, a flare thrown during the match and the serious disorder immediately afterwards in Sloper Road, where police officers were targeted.'

It is understood a handful of Cardiff City fans were trying to get at Spurs followers after the game as a revenge attack for trouble in the city centre on Saturday night but their aggression was vented towards police when they stepped in to prevent fighting.

Although there were hundreds of supporters loitering outside the ground, it was those in the front few rows responsible for the hooliganism.

Football intelligence officers, who are working with Cardiff City Football Club, hope to arrest the yobs before the sides meet again for the replay at White Hart Lane on Wednesday, January 17.

Chief Supt Evans added: 'I am particularly disappointed on behalf of the genuine fans who may have had their experience marred by these events.'

Stadium manager Wayne Nash said: 'We fully support South Wales Police and their endeavours to catch those responsible because we don't want these people at our club.'

Cardiff cleared of Wolves charges - 10/01/2007

Source : BBC Sport

Cardiff City will not be punished over the crowd trouble during last season's Championship match at Wolves.

Two police officers were taken to hospital and 17 people arrested by West Midlands Police for disturbances inside and outside Molineux on 11 March.

The FA of Wales charged Cardiff with failing to control its fans, but the charge has now been dropped.

Cardiff travel to Wolves on 20 January, but their fans have been banned from attending because of the past violence.

The decision was taken by the Football League Board in November, but Cardiff have been trying to overturn the ban.

And the club believes the FAW's decision to drop the disciplinary charges against them strengthens their argument.

"In light of [the FAW] decision, to ban our supporters in our forthcoming trip to Molineux on January 20th 2007 is now even more disappointing," said a statement on Cardiff City's official website.

Alavés - FC Barcelona - 10/01/2007

Source : Mail

Deportivo La Coruña - Real Madrid - 07/01/2007

Source : Mail


Real Madrid lads

Cardiff fan beats Wolves ban by air - 12/01/2007

Source : BBC Sport

Following the ban enforced on Cardiff City fans refusing them entry to Molineux when Wolves play City in a weeks time, one small group of fans will take to the skies to get around the situation.

Many feel the ban on our fans is unjustified and a protest is to be held before the game backed by the Football Supporters Federation. The 1pm k.o. match will then be beamed back to Ninian Park for fans to see the action live.

Others were reluctant to give up so easily and one group headed by lifelong City fan Steve 'Dayo' Day has hired a hot air balloon to hover over the stadium and allow them to watch the game live and make a dignified stand against the decision.

The cost of the stunt is running into the thousands but Mr Day of Cowbridge was determined not to be put off:

'We are willing to go to any lengths to see the team play.' he said of the scheme.

'I think the restrictions are ridiculous - to stop decent, honest people from going there.

'They have set the laws out and we have found a way round them.

'We want to watch football. If we have to watch it from a thousand feet then so be it.'

Whilst a slightly over the top way to watch your team play it has highlighted the case in the media and hopefully made West Midlans Police and Wolves chief executive re-consider their stance.

One Cardiff City director is expected to be on board the blimp, while Chairman Peter Ridsdale has refused the customary hospitality and will 'rough it' in the dug-out.

Bluebirds will take to the skies above Molineux and hope for a repeat of the 4-1 thrashing dished out to the midlands club at Ninian Park this season.

Fans to gather in Wolverhampton to support Cardiff - 12/01/2007

Source : Daily Echo

Supporters from clubs throughout England and Wales will be in Wolverhampton next weekend for a special demonstration.

The fans will be gathering in the Black Country to support Cardiff City followers who have been banned from attending their club's Championship game at Molineux that afternoon (1pm).

Hundreds of Cardiff fans will travel up to the event, even though they have been prevented from attending the game by the Wolverhampton City Council Football Safety Advisory Committee.

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Twenty nine Bluebirds supporters will even be arriving by air, having chartered an airship for the day.

This group intends to stay aloft above the Wolves ground to see the game.

One fan said: "We'll get a better view of the match from up there than the away seats at Newcastle!".

Football Supporters Federation chairman Malcolm Clarke will be lending his support to the Cardiff fans, before driving to Preston to watch his team, Stoke, play.

"We believe this decision is wrong because it punishes innocent fans, and that it is counter-productive because it turns law-abiding fans against the police and the authorities," said Clarke.

"The line should be drawn between the hooligans on the one side and everybody else on the other.

"This decision puts the ordinary innocent Cardiff City fans on the wrong side of the line.

"The supporters' club there has made tremendous strides, working with their club and the local police, to ensure both home and away fans can enjoy their football in peace at Ninian Park.

"This decision is a kick in the teeth for them. I applaud them standing up for themselves and protesting.

"By doing so they're doing a service for supporters of every club in England & Wales".

Cardiff City Supporters' Club chair Vince Alm said: "We're absolutely determined to travel up to the Black Country to make our point.

"We can only hope that by making our stand as we are that neither we nor the supporters of any other club will have to suffer such bans.

"One thing we've made quite clear is that this is to be a peaceful demonstration. We want nobody travelling up from Wales to cause trouble.

"They, nor trouble-makers from elsewhere, are welcome.

"We already know that fans of Arsenal, Stoke City, Port Vale, Aston Villa and Wolves will be there with us, and the word about the protest is just getting out".

Even the police have expressed concern about the ban.

Greater Manchester Deputy Chief Constable Stephen Thomas, who leads the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) on football policing matters said: "I am disappointed to see a situation where a football club is unable to welcome visiting supporters to a game.

"Especially in a situation where a visiting club such as Cardiff City is concerned, as they, their supporters and the local police have worked so hard and successfully over recent years to prevent disorderly behaviour."

RC LENS - LILLE OSC - 13/01/2007

Source : Mail/RC Lens.be




LOSC end

KV Kortrijk - St Truiden - Cup - 14/01/2007

Source: ITK

50 RCF vs 20 St Truiden with a few MVV. Three lads were injured and taken to the hospital, all three of them were St Truiden/MVV. It seems that bottles were used during the RCF charge

FC Utrecht - Schalke 04 - Friendly game - 13/01/2007

Source: dutch press + Utrecht website

Dutch soccer fans riot prior to match

16 people were arrested after a few rows in the city-centre.



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50/60 Utrecht attack a group of 80 Twente/Schalke on a square in Utrecht, after two confrontations Twente/Sschalke back off.


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Source: AP

Sixteen FC Utrecht fans were arrested Sunday after fighting with Schalke 04 supporters in the centre of the city ahead of a friendly match.

Police spokeswoman Ellen de Heer reported no arrests of Schalke fans, but said one FC Utrecht supporter was being treated for injuries after being bitten by a police dog.

"A number of Schalke supporters, several dozen, came into confrontation with a group of Utrecht supporters," said Marc van Rossum, a reporter for local radio and television station RTV, who was an eyewitness to the fighting.

The brawl started in front of a pub and moved through the city center "until the police stepped in and took the Schalke supporters under protection," he added.

Van Rossum said the German club's supporters were taken to the Galgenwaard stadium by bus and separated from the Dutch team's fans.

De Heer said there was minimal damage to property and that order had been restored to the city center. Extra police were present at the stadium to ensure Schalke fans leave without incident after the match.

Airdrie -Motherwell FC - 06/01/2007

Source: mail

Police forces escorted the Motherwell lads to the city-centre and left them alone. Airdire were waiting further up and charged the M'well firm.
Police forces charged using batons, mainly on visitor side. One lad was arrested but others followed with CCTV.
Motherwell travelled with 100 lads by train. It seems Airdrie had the same amount.

RSC Charleroi - Roda JC Kerkrade - Friendly game - 13/01/2007

Source: La DH Les Sports (mail)



Report soon



Source: post - local newspaper



Source: Koempel website

Messina - AS Roma - 14/01/2007

Source: Ansa

Troubles opposed Messina fans to Roma fans before the game.
Two people were arrested, 12 controlled by police forces and 8 others were injured.
Everything started when a van full of Roma fans was attacked by local ultras.

Sambenedettese - Perugia - 14/01/2007

Source: Ansa

Troubles occured during and after the game. Two policemen were injured.

Paolana - Sapri - 07/01/2007

Source: forum

Riots at the Paola trainstation, opposing Sapri ultras to police forces. Three fans were arrested and a few policemen were injured.

Salernitana - Cavese - 07/01/2007

Source: Salernonews.it

Tennis: 150 spectators ejected from Aussie Open after ethnic brawl - 14/01/2007

Source : AFP

Police have ejected about 150 spectators from the Australian Open after an ugly brawl broke out between Serbian and Croatian fans inside the ground.

Fans wearing the national colours of the bitter Balkan rivals clashed in the Rod Laver Arena after taunting and hurling insults at each other.

Witnesses said they kicked and punched each other and set upon their rivals with flagpoles before dozens of police and security staff rushed in to end the melee and eject the combatants after confiscating their tickets.

"They were mostly Serbians ejected as they were upsetting the Croatians," Victoria state police spokeswoman Katherine Jess said.

Earlier, a group of fans gathered in central Melbourne and lit flares as they made their way to the stadium.

"It's bad because you go to the tennis and you go to watch and then it ends up in an actual brawl, it's just ridiculous," a Croatian fan called Marina told Australian Associated Press.

"You go to cheer on your actual player, not to go and fight."

Tennis Australia chief executive Steve Wood said there were no injuries or arrests and security staff had acted swiftly to end the fight.

He said fans in national colours had always been a welcome feature of the season-opening Grand Slam but organisers would not let troublemakers ruin the day for other patrons.

"We hope that today’s well coordinated response sends a clear message that while we are happy for fans to come along and support their favourite player, decisive action will be taken if any patrons, or groups, cross the line of acceptable behaviour at this family event," he said.

The Serbian fans had gathered to support in-form youngster Jelena Jankovic, while the Croats were at the tournament for daytime matches involving Mario Ancic, Karolina Sprem and Ivan Ljubicic.

Serbian Novak Djokovic plays China's Nicolas Massu in a night session.

Ancic said he knew nothing about the disturbance, which occurred as he was cruising to a straight sets victory over Japan's Go Soeda.

"No, I had no idea," he said, before defending Croatian fans.

"We are well known for great support but correct support. I don't know (of) any excess ever."

Serbian supporters were criticised at last week's Sydney International final when they booed Belgian Kim Clijsters during her win over Jankovic and chanted during her victory speech.

Melbourne has large Croatian and Serbian populations and rivalries between the communities has in the past spilled over into violence at football matches.

Community leaders from both sides condemned the violence but blamed each other for the clash.

"National pride is one thing but this is unacceptable," Croatian Community Association secretary Tom Starcevic said.

"I wasn't there but from what I've seen and heard the Serbs were quite provocative."

Serbian Cultural Club president, Toma Banjanin, said Croatian supporters provoked Serbian fans by flaunting their colours.

"You didn't see many Serbs dressed that way," Banjanin said. "I think Croats are always overdoing things, they are always mixing politics with sport."







Source: The Australian - 16/01/2007

Police put heat on ethnic brawlers

A TASKFORCE of detectives will review footage of a racial brawl at the Australian Open tennis tournament in a bid to lay charges.

Searing heat in Melbourne, which has forced the cancellation of matches at Melbourne Park today, has helped avert further trouble, police said.

As many as 150 Croatian and Serbian supporters were ejected from the international tennis tournament yesterday after a mass brawl erupted between rival fans, many dressed in national colours.

Officials were today bracing for repeat scenes with Croatian tennis player Marin Cilic and Serbian player Ilia Bozoljac due to meet on court 21 this afternoon.

Staff used hand-held metal detectors to screen fans entering the Melbourne Park complex as individual private security guards and police in small groups patrolled areas near the courts and refreshment stands.

But after the gates opened this morning, there was no sign of fans from either side of the ethnic divide anywhere near the court complex.

Acting Superintendent Chris Duthie a taskforce of detectives from the Melbourne criminal investigation unit would examine footage of yesterday's clash.

"They have already started investigating. We need to obtain the footage now and we can go from there," Mr Duthie told AAP.

There was no hint of trouble at the tournament today as the temperatures soared into the high 30s, Mr Duthie said.

Matches under way at the Open will be completed, but no new matches will begin outside the two main courts until the temperature drops below 35C under the tournament's extreme heat policy.

This means the match between Croatian tennis player Marin Cilic and Serbian player Ilia Bozoljac, feared as a possible flashpoint for a repeat of the brawl, will be postponed.

Source:Tennis Reporters - 16/01/2007

Serbian-Croatian clash, tennis style

FROM THE AUSTRALIAN OPEN - One observer said that there were a few chairs thrown, a couple of punches launched and a series of swift kicks to the legs. That's how the '07 Australian Open began, with big groups of Serbian and Croatian fans going at each other in the common areas outside of the arena. Some 150 fans were tossed off the grounds early in the day, although many of them likely had visions of completing a 24-hour pub run anyway.

That's not what you would call an inauspicious start to a Grand Slam, but it's one that has to be paid attention to. Why? Because as the sport continues reach across the globe, more and more fans from non-traditional tennis nations will attend events and, if their supporter training is in sports where unruly behavior is occasionally glorified (i.e. soccer, American football, Aussie Rules football), then it will take a significant amount of training from rational fans to teach them that screaming nationalistic slogans that have no relevance to the proceedings at hand have little relevance in the sport. Plus, pleading out loud for someone's errors isn't kosher either, nor is brawling near children in the mid-afternoon sun.

Will hooliganism creep it's way into tennis? Doubtful, but there was a sniff of it on Monday.

Word has it that in Melbourne, Croatian and Serbian immigrant groups have been going at hard for years when rooting for their local soccer clubs, which previously, were formed along ethnic lines. Now that there is more than a fair share of significant Croat and Serbian tennis players - Croatians Ivan Ljubicic, Mario Ancic and Karolina Sprem, and Serbians Novak Djokovic, Jelena Jankovic and Ana Ivanovic just for starters - there is plenty of reason to show up at Melbourne.

Apparently, there's also a reason to show in Sydney, where last weekend, Serbian fans railed at Kim Clijsters during her final-round win over Jelena Jankovic.

"Here in Melbourne it's a little bit strange because I think it's just a sport and people should just come and enjoy the game," Jankovic said. "It's not about where you're from or … you either like the player and you'll cheer for them, but you don't have to cheer against them just because they are from some country, and I think that's wrong. … But I don't like when they are fighting against each other and kind of booing the other player just because they are from some other country. I think that's not fair. So that's just my opinion I think the game should just be fair and they should clap for good points and support the player they like, but they shouldn't be really mean and really bad and fight against the other just to make the other one feel bad."

Hopefully, Jankovic's advice will be taken seriously when Croat Marin Cilic takes on Serb Ilia Bozoljac on Tuesday. Things should be, as the Spaniards might say "tenistically" more civil.

It was only an exhibition, but Andy Roddick was obviously pleased. In fact, he was more than pleased.
Three days ago in Kooyong, Roddick bested the nearly unbeatable Roger Federer in the final. He was 1-12 against Federer entering the contest, but the result is not counted in his ATP record against the Swiss. Still, heading into a Grand Slam where he could meet the nine-time Grand Slam champion in the semifinal, it was a big boost of confidence.

His good friend Mardy Fish, who has played against and watched hundreds of hours of matches with Roddick, said that it would be silly to toss out the result.

"You definitely take that," said Fish, who shocked Ivan Ljubicic in four sets. "Maybe if they play here, he gets up early, he can remember stuff that he did. They were both trying. Roger, he doesn't want too lose, even if it's an exhibition. He definitely doesn't want to lose. Maybe he wasn't taking it completely as this week. But he doesn't want to lose, for sure."

Roddick didn't play nearly as well in the first round of the Australian Open as he did against Federer, but he did manage to right his ship when it counted and took down French wildcard Jo-Wilfried Tsonga 6-7(18), 7-6(2), 6-3, 6-3.

Few observers believe that Roddick has a realistic chance of winning his first Australian Open – not because he hasn't been playing well since he hired his new coach, the legendary Jimmy Connors, back in July – but because Federer has lost only once since that time. Roddick nearly took out Federer back in Shanghai, but was unable to secure two match points in the contest and eventually left the facility a three-set loser, but not before busting a few rackets in the locker room before he headed toward transportation.

A-ROD: A TOUGH, NEVER-SAY-DIE COMPETITIOR
But, if nothing else, Roddick hates to lose and is still the same fast-taking, big-serving kid who won the '00 US Open juniors. He's a confrontational guy who is very protective of his reputation. To the sometime Texan, sometimes Floridian, that reputation is of a tough, never-say-die competitor who has a big-time game. It's not the reputation of a man who will lie down in front of anyone, even the multitalented Federer.

For a while, the Swiss was into his head and deeply into his backhand and his serve.

But since Roddick pushed him for two sets in the '06 US Open final and showed off a much-improved net attack in Shanghai. He's done more than just hope. He's bringing improved weapons to the table and now can say that he has a legitimate shot to beat him. He's not the favorite by any means and will never play as pretty or move with same grace, but he can hurt him and Federer now seems to know it.

In the third set of Kooyong, Roddick said they both laid it on the line.

"I think we both kind of started playing a little bit in the third set," Roddick said. "I think we would have been feeling each other out in the first two. But I don't know. I don't know if it's the same as a Grand Slam final, and that's why I said you have to be a little bit guarded with the emphasis you put on that match."

Connors' mother, Gloria, passed away at the beginning of the month and he's not here with Roddick. He may or may not come to Melbourne, but Roddick isn't even going to mention it. His brother, John, who also serves as his traveling coach, is here, and both of them have been in daily contact with Connors.

"I've talked to him every day since I've been here," Roddick said. "John has been talking to him, as well. I don't know [if he'll come] at this point. When we talk, we talk tennis. And the last thing I'm going to kind of concern him with right now is putting pressure on him in any way, shape or form."

Roddick might have used Connors in his corner against Tsonga, as he started very slow and was in a real hole being 2-5 in the second set. But eventually, he found his timing, serve and get more stick on his ground strokes. While he still may look a kid fresh out of the skateboard park, he's much more experienced now and trusts his instincts.

Connors would have been proud how he stuck it out and reversed the pressure of the occasion to his opponent's shoulders.

"It was a pretty ordinary performance but I got better as I went along," Roddick said. "We thought he might go for broke but we did not think he would keep it up. I was giving him opportunities more than I should have. I kept thinking that he was going to crack somewhere along the line."

And Tsonga did. With Ivan Ljubicic out of his quarter courtesy of Fish, Roddick is looking like very solid pick to get to the semis. Then we'll see whether Kooyong was just a daydream.

"You can't really ask for better preparation than playing with that field and knowing you're going to get three matches against those type of players, to get some wins," Roddick said. "If you have a chance to win or lose, you're normally going to choose to win. It's a good thing as well."