Season 06/07 - January

Espanyol Barcelona - FC Barcelona - 13/01/2007

Source: forum

About 200 Boixos Nois from FCB made the trip to their rivals but now major riots took place.

VIDEO

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2DdiRTiVnFY

Racing Santander - Real Sociedad - 14/01/2007

Source: forum

A few scuffles took place outside the stadium, opposing both ultras groups before the game.
It seems a few people were injured and transfered at hospital.
Pena Mujika from Sociedad travelled with 40 lads.

CD Logrones - CF Burgos - 14/01/2007

Source: Marca

Local police forces arrested 13 people in Logrono, all members of the ultras group called Resaca Castellana from Burgos CF.
Police said they were part of severe damages and riots who took place in the city centre.

Willem II - NAC Breda - 14/01/2007

Source: dutch press

After this game was cancelled for security reasons, it was play at the 14th January.
Four people were arrested, all from Tilburg. Two of them inside the stadium and the two others for selling drugs inside a pub.

Sedan - AS Nancy - 13/01/2007

source: mail

A fight occured between 25 Sedan fans and 47 Nancy. Nancy won, against a good Sedan's mob, who resisted for a few minutes.

Skopje Journalist: Attackers are Football Hooligans - 13/01/2007

Source : FOCUS News Agency

A group of 30 – 50 football hooligans and supporters of the football club Vardar attacked with stones and clubs the participants in the memorial service of Mara Buneva on the occasion of the anniversary of her death, the journalist in Skopje Viktor Kanzurov reported for FOCUS Agency. The procession was walking from the St. Dimitar church where the service to took place to the place of Mara Buneva’s monument when football hooligans attacked the first people in the procession. 10 – 15 people were beaten up among whom there were elderly. Kanzurov doesn’t know whether there were Bulgarian citizens among the beaten.
The hooligans shouted insults like “Bulgarian Tatars”, “Bulgarians must die” and “This is Macedonia, there are no Bulgarians here”. There was a TV show on “Sky Net” TV yesterday in which the viewers sent SMSs in order to be stopped the “service of the Bulgarophils for Mara Buneva”.
A group of Macedonians sent a protest letter to the Bulgarian Ambassador to Skopje Miho Mihov asking him the Bulgarian side to react in cases when pressure is used on Bulgarophils in Macedonia. “Our life is endangered”, Kanzurov complained.

Troubles in Athens – 15/01/2007

Source : Kathimerini

The weekend’s action was mired by several incidents of fan violence. Olympiakos and Panathinaikos fan club offices in Athens were damaged late Saturday night following Molotov cocktail attacks. Some 15 nearby cars were also damaged in the attack at the Olympiakos fan club office, in the capital’s Ilioupolis district. Police did not report links between the two attacks.

Yesterday, a provincial bus carrying a group of Olympiakos fans into the city for the club’s game against Panionios was attacked with petrol bombs and rocks in western Athens. One Olympiakos fan was slightly injured were reported.

Police give warning to yobs - 18/01/2007

Source : Express & Star

More than 5,000 Albion fans will pile into Molineux for the FA Cup clash against Wolves, prompting police to warn hooligans they will be prosecuted without exception.

Wolves are set to take on the Baggies in the fourth round of the cup after beating Oldham 2-0 during last night’s third round replay.

The hotly-anticipated derby, scheduled for Sunday, January 28, will be the first time the rivals have met at Molineux in five years. Police today said they will be signifcantly increasing numbers in and around the ground.

Away supporters in the FA Cup are given a greater ticket allocation than normal, and Albion fans will be given the entire Jack Harris stand, which holds 5,300 people.

Fan receives football ban - 17/01/07

source: Sheffield Today

A SOUTH Yorkshire football hooligan has been banned from all matches for three years – after appearing on daytime TV talking about football violence.

Sheffield Wednesday fan Douglas Naylor, of Firth Park Crescent, Firth Park, featured on ITV's Jeremy Kyle daytime chat show to talk about life as a former football hooligan.
The 42-year-old, a member of the Owls Crime Squad, also appeared in a documentary by Bravo TV on the subject and spoke out in an article in The Star about "my right to fight rival fans".
The public displays landed Naylor in hot water with the police, who compiled a dossier of evidence against the dad-of-three, and applied for the civil banning order at Sheffield Magistrate's Court.
Naylor, who accepted the order, is now unable to attend football matches in England and Wales for the next three years and could face a six month prison sentence or £5,000 fine if he fails to comply.
Naylor said after the hearing he accepted the order to avoid paying costs to take the matter further.
He told The Star: "The police have no evidence on me. I've never been in trouble in a football stadium in my life. The police just wanted me away from the grounds."
Naylor, who is planning a "fresh start" by moving to Spain, is banned from engaging in activity in England or Wales that contributes to or causes violence or disorder in connection with any regulated football match. He is not to change his address without informing the Football Banning Orders Authority and must surrender his passport when England play abroad.
Naylor said: "In the last 10 months a lot has happened. It's knocked me off my pedestal. I've lost my job and lost football because of my big mouth."
But Naylor, who has a previous conviction for causing actual bodily harm 20 years ago which was not football related, added: "I believe in what I say, I believe in the OCS, it has been my life. Football is like your religion."
Phil Woodward, leader of the Football Banning Order Team at South Yorkshire Police, said the banning orders were "successful in preventing violence and disorder at football matches".
He told The Star: "There are presently 271 orders imposed across the five clubs in South Yorkshire."

Mugshot request "breaches" hooligans' rights - 16/01/2007

Source: Wigan Today

POLICE refused to give a Wigan pub landlord official mugs shots of known hooligans - to protect THEIR rights.

Twenty pictures of men on the "banned" list were circulated around a group of landlords during a meeting of the Hindley Pub Watch group.

But when Mike Butterfield, the new licensee at the Dray King, asked for copies to take with him to keep behind the bar, he was turned down, because it would be a breach of the data protection act.

A councillor at the meeting, Jim Ellis, offered to copy the pictures with his own digital camera but that too was blocked.

Now he is demanding a review of the rules and the application of a "dose of common sense."

Coun Ellis, a member of the Community Action Party, is now writing to the Chief Constable of Greater Manchester Michael Todd urging that copies of the pictures be given to publicans who request them.

Wigan Council community protection chiefs confirmed that a request for the photographs was made and turned down - but insisted it was a GMP decision rather than theirs.

Mr Butterfield, a landlord for the past 22 years who took over at the Dray King four months ago, said: "It really is ridiculous. In my experience Wigan is certainly no worse than any other place, but these are people have been banned because some of them obviously caused trouble when they have been drunk in the past.

"Surely this is like tying your hands behind your back as a landlord because without photos you cannot be sure who these people are and in my mind it rather defeats the object of the ban.

"I have just moved over from Yorkshire area and every pub watch over there get photos of people who have been banned.

"The only thing they didn't want you to do was put them on public display, they are a tool for the management to use, which was always fine by us.

"I asked how you could decide not to serve people on the list if you couldn't remember what they looked like and there were quite few of the other landlords there asking the same sort of thing.

"Otherwise, there isn't much point having a pub watch."

Coun Ellis has now established that the issue is now being considered by the police's own legal experts for a ruling.

He said: "One of the main functions of the pubwatch meetings is to discuss the list of those banned from the Hindley's pubs for acts of violence or abusing the staff or other customers.

"We were told by a council official that while photos of the could be viewed at the meeting members couldn't have copies because to do so it would be a breach of the Data Protection.

"A police officer present also confirmed that pictures couldn't be released. This lack of common sense and procrastination suggests to me an indifference to the safety of staff and the public by the police."

Wigan Council's own data protection expert Tim Turner has confirmed that in the council's view, giving pub staff a copy of the pictures wouldn't be a breach of Data Protection as long as they are not on general display but held behind the bar for reference purposes.

Banned customers should also "reasonably expect" that their photos could be used in this way.

A spokesman for Greater Manchester Police said the force provides support and assistance to a number of Pub Watch schemes across Wigan and county area.

As part of this relationship, officers have previously given photographs of people excluded from pubs to licensees, but this was now under review.

A spokeswoman said: "Due to occasions where photographs have not been used responsibly, officers in Wigan have only shown the photographs to licensees under controlled conditions, such as during meetings of Pub Watch members.

"This position is currently being reviewed with a view to introducing a consistent process where licensees will sign a legal agreement which restricts them to using the photographs responsibly."

Australia: Anything a weapon as picnic turns into brawl - 16/01/2007

Source: New Sydney Herald

THEY came at each other with saucepans and kitchen knives, even a folded-up picnic chair. As food fights go, this was bloodier - and more resourceful - than most.

Details emerged yesterday about how a serene Sunday picnic at Dolls Point in southern Sydney had degenerated into a 45-minute brawl.

Police say the fight, in fading light between two clans, erupted when a child from one family was struck by a soccer ball.

Photographs passed onto the Herald by a witness show furious bare-chested men flinging punches as a woman waves desperately.

"You could see the heated body language before it started," said the witness, a 66-year-old named Nick who was playing Keno at the nearby Georges River 16ft Sailing Club.

"I looked through the window and thought something's going to happen. Sure enough, the first biff came, then the second biff, then all the other groups start flying in from the side.

"There was a bloke walking around with a folded chair and he was having a swing. There was screaming and shouting … even the women were having a go at each other."

At one point an elderly man smacked a youth, possibly his son or grandson, Nick said. "That young boy then stopped, he was solemn for a couple of minutes like he'd been chastised. But it was short-lived because a couple of minutes later he was back in, hoeing into everyone else."

Scott Hughes, the manager of the sailing club, described the flare-up as out of control.

"A guy in a red singlet, he went and grabbed a saucepan from the camping site and he's gone and hit the other guy," Mr Hughes said. "Then the other guy picked up a piece of wood … the guy with the red singlet was bleeding from the head."

Police swooped on the scene within 10 minutes, but soon called for reinforcements as the fight "kept flaring", Nick said.

Photographs seen by the Herald depict a virtual mob scene in the picnic area car park, with several officers wearing protective riot shields.

Paramedics treated a man for a gash to the head. A man, 19, was later arrested and charged with wielding a knife in a public place. He has been granted bail to appear at Kogarah Local Court on January 30.

Cricket World Cup: Speak no evil! - 14/01/2007

Source: Nation News

FANS can go right ahead and hurl insults and abuse at players and others around them. Problem is, they won't be able to do it a second time.

Those caught behaving like hooligans during the Cricket World Cup will be punished severely and risk being banned from the game.

The new International Cricket Council (ICC) racism code has been approved and will be adopted during the World Cup. The overall aim is to stamp out any trace of hooliganism, and make cricket free of racist behaviour or abuse.

The World Cup organisers will be working in conjunction with the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) to implement the code in accordance with ICC guidelines.

Signs

"A guide has been provided by ICC for successful implementation of the code and we propose to follow that," said Trudy Clark, head of the tournament's event management department.

"There will be signs at all points of entry and at the public information booths to remind spectators that racially abusive behaviour is not acceptable.

"In addition, match day staff will be vigilant and will report any incidences of racist behaviour in line with the code to the relevant authorities."

The WICB expressed delight to play a role in ridding the game of the racist bug.

Tony Deyal, the board's head of communications and public relations, noted that the board was pleased would be enforced during the tournament.

"WICB is fully supportive of this policy and we will be working with all stakeholders in West Indies cricket, especially the territorial boards, to ensure strict adherence to it," he said.

Australia: Police tear apart feuding families - 15/01/2007

Source: The Australian

A FOOTBALL which struck a child last night sparked a riot at a southern Sydney park between two feuding Lebanese families who struck each other with lengths of wood and a saucepan.

Fifty police supported by a helicopter descended on Cooks Park in Sans Souci at 6.45pm to control 60 young Middle Eastern men who were brawling and throwing rocks after a football hit a child attending a picnic.

Police pursued two men in a car but they escaped. One man suffered head wounds after being hit by a large piece of wood.

The park is popular with Middle Eastern families. Some were still picnicking there after the incident last night.

Georges River Sailing Club manager Scott Hughes said the incident was not racially based.

"It was just two Lebanese families fighting. I haven't seen that many police in my life. It was a sight to see and I hope I never see it again."

He added that his club was virtually empty. "It's killed us," he said.

"This was our busiest night and now it's all suddenly empty."

Police questioned several people, who were later released, and detained one man. But last night no charges had been laid.

Cricket: 190 fans evicted from first ODI - 14/01/2007

Source: Cricketweb

Victorian Police have reported that an astounding 190 attendees were evicted from last Friday's one-day game between Australia and England at the MCG.

Crowd behaviour which has been notably good this year took a turn for the worse as 106 people were ejected by police and a further 84 people were removed by security staff. This was in contrast to the Boxing Day Test at the same venue which had a higher crowd but only 39 people evicted as opposed to 77 from last year, reported the Sydney Morning Herald

Stephen Leane, the Victoria Police Superintendent, said that the majority of evictions had come from alcohol related offences.

"Alcohol continues to be a problem, with most of the ejections involving patrons caught smuggling alcohol into the grounds," he said.

"There still seems to be some segments of the crowd who appear to be more interested in misbehaving and disrupting the enjoyment of others than watching the actual matches."

On top of the evictions three people were also arrested by police. One for being drunk, one for possessing amphetamines and one for assault.

Despite the poor crowd behaviour, the police and cricketing officials are determined to eradicate hooliganism from the MCG.

"Victoria Police, along with Cricket Australian and the MCG officials, will review the security to ensure the next match scheduled for the MCG in February can be enjoyed by everyone," Superintendent Leane said.

The latest reports of crowd behaviour are thoroughly different to the ones resulting from the successful Boxing Day Test just last month when Region One Superintendent Mick Williams praised the crowd for their exceptional behaviour.

"It doesn't get much better than this. The crowd have behaved exceptionally well this year and it's a credit to the organisers and the fans," he said after the match.

"This is without a doubt the best results we've had for the Boxing Day Test and I think cricket fans should be very proud of their behaviour."

Bulgarian Ambassador: There Are Injured Bulgarians After Incident in Skopje - 13/01/2007

Source: Focus News Agency

Skopje. “There are injured Bulgarians in Skopje after the incident and they have already got medical reports”, the Bulgarian Ambassador to Skopje Miho Mihov confirmed for FOCUS Agency. HE Mihov didn’t lead talks wwith the Macedonian Interior Ministry in Skopje.

Bulgarians went to lay flowers at the memorial plaque of Mara Buneva in Skopje on the occasion of 79 years from her death when a group of 30 – 40 people attacked them, eyewitnesses participating in the memorial service announced for FOCUS Agency. The attackers were armed with clubs and metal objects and they shouted insults like “Bulgarian Tatars” and “Bulgarians must die”.

According to unconfirmed reports there were fans of the football club Vardar among the attackers. It is suggested that the attack was planned yesterday.

Scotland: Hunt for football yob tsar - 13/01/2007

Source: Daily Record

SCOTLAND'S police are recruiting a football hooligan tsar to cope with the growing number of banning orders.

The order manager will head a specialist unit dealing with new legislation to tackle yobs.

The civilian post is being advertised by Strathclyde Police, who a re responsible for administering bans across Scotland.

Whoever takes up the position will enforce the bans on behalf of all Scottish police forces and be the single point of contact for the Executive and the courts.

The legislation, introduced last September, allows Scottish police to apply to have anyone convicted of a football-related offence banned from grounds for up to 10 years.

The orders can also be imposed for up to three years on those without convictions but whose behaviour has given cause for concern.

A specialist unit at Strathclyde Police's Glasgow HQ is currently responsible for administering the orders across Scotland.

Launching the banning orders at Hampden, Justice Minister Cathy Jamieson said: "I am passionate about football. Those who sour the reputation of their clubs are a disgrace to us all."

Orlando Pirates - Wites University - 10/01/2007

Source: News24

Don't lock fans out

On Wednesday I went to Ellis Park to watch the locked out game between Orlando Pirates and Wits University purely to relive some of the momentous episodes of history Pirates share with the famous stadium.

This long-standing history began in the 1980s, when the Buccaneers were involved in the first professional soccer match to be played at the Doornfontein venue.

In the late 1990s a stampede in a match between Pirates and Kaizer Chiefs claimed 47 lives. Last year a black empowerment group led by Pirates chairperson, Irvin Khoza, bought a 51% ownership stake of Ellis Park.

I was still a schoolboy back in the 80s, when my father took my younger brother and I to watch our beloved Pirates take on Highlands Park.

Though soccer in South Africa had by then unified, in defiance of the demands of apartheid for separate sport for races, stadiums like Ellis Park were still no-go areas for black sport fans. The match was therefore a historical moment.

For the record, Highlands won that game in the 80s 1-0, via a brilliant overhead goal by Frank McGrellis. It was a bitter defeat for my family, more so that the scorer had just flown in from Scotland the day before.

We found consolation in the fact that Pirates' enterprising right-back, George "Harare" Makhubela, was named man of the match for providing the brightest moments on the day, despite McGrellis' goal.

It was a different spectacle on Wednesday as Pirates hosted Wits in Ellis Park, before empty stands. The league had ordered this game to be played without soccer fans as punishment for an earlier stadium riot caused by Pirates fans at the same venue.

I was allowed in as part of the media contingent that had to pre-confirm their attendance in order to go through the tough security around the stadium. My name had to be found in a list at the first checkpoint on the busy road outside the stadium.

Another checkpoint was at the gate used by the media and other officials, where I had to sign next to my name on the list. Just twenty metres away a gigantic security man in a black suit demanded to see my media card, even though he was watching when the gate guards asked for the same identification.

Ellis Park

The big guy in a suit took me through a corridor leading to the media box, handed me over to an even bigger bloke who ticked my name off in the paper and finally welcomed me to Ellis Park!

After sharing greetings with fellow journalists already seated, I immediately realised how queer the atmosphere was: empty stands at five minutes to kickoff time. I heard sounds and noises I never associated with a soccer match, like the referee testing his whistle in the tunnel below.

After he had blown for the official kickoff, the two keepers wasted no time breaking the eerie silence. Wits' goalminder and captain, Moeneeb Joseph out-shouted his opposite number Avril Phali, whose squeaky voice was a strange thing to behold, coming from a big man like him. Joseph, who arrived from Cape Town six months ago to join Wits, also demonstrated his ability to speak some Joburg tsotsi-taal.

Apart from the shouting match by the two keepers, I also heard the ball being kicked around. All these time I thought the ball responded meekly when kicked around.

The biggest noise however was provided by fellow soccer writers, who never got tired from cracking jokes to amuse themselves during the tepid affair. The final score was 1-1.

Long after the final whistle I remained seated, to soak in what I have seen. A soccer match without fans is a no-no. This was the third such match in the last two years, but the first I attended.

The league must explore other methods to mete out punishment for stadium violence. The few hot heads who cause trouble must be arrested, charged and also banned.

Locking out the fans is not the solution because thousands of true supporters suffer, including those of the visiting team who have nothing to do with the earlier indiscretion by the host team.

It is also not good for the game because the players were also affected by the eerie atmosphere, hence their below par showing.

The saddest moment for me was provided by a small group of Pirates supporters who had congregated outside the stadium, waiting for any good news about their troubled club which is currently operating in the relegation zone. After I had told them the score, one of them responded: "Eish, but why we were not allowed in!"

Disclaimer: News24 encourages freedom of speech and the expression of diverse views. The views of columnists published on News24 are therefore their own and do not necessarily represent the views of News24.

Cardiff - Tottenham: Police face down the City thugs - 10/01/2007

Source: South Wales Echo

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.'

Anybody with information should contact the football intelligence unit on 029 2052 7277 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

Feyenoord thrown out of Uefa Cup - 20/01/2007

Source: BBC

Tottenham's next Uefa Cup opponents Feyenoord have been excluded from this season's competition.

Uefa has banished the Dutch club after the crowd trouble during their match in France against Nancy on 30 November.

The group stage game had to be stopped for half an hour because of trouble in the stands as Feyenoord trailed 3-0.

Feyenoord were set to play Tottenham in the last 32 knockout stage of the Uefa Cup and Spurs must wait to see if they now get a bye into the next round.

A Uefa spokesman said: "We have not decided what will happen with Tottenham and whether they will receive a bye or play the fourth-placed team from Feyenoord's group."

Feyenoord had originally been fined £81,000 and handed a suspended sentence to play two matches in an empty stadium.

"This is a huge slap in the face for the club," said Feyenoord financial director Onno Jacobs.

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"It will have enormous consequences, both sporting and financial. We'll lose ticket receipts, TV rights and the possibility of progressing in the competition.

"Our true supporters are the real victims of this decision. They are paying the price for the faults of individuals who have nothing to do with the club and from whom Feyenoord has always distanced itself."

The decision was taken by Uefa's independent Control and Disciplinary board, but European football's governing body appealed the decision for a harsher punishment.

"The appeal by Feyenoord against the original punishment handed down by the Uefa Control and Disciplinary Body was rejected," said a Uefa statement.

"Feyenoord were also ordered to contact Nancy regarding settlement of the damages."

Feyenoord excluded from Uefa Cup - 19/01/2007

Source : ITN News

Feyenoord, Tottenham Hotspur's opponents in the last 32 of the Uefa Cup, have been excluded from the competition.

The Dutch club have been punished by European football's governing body after crowd trouble marred their group clash with AS Nancy in the competition at the end of November.

Uefa announced a tougher sanction in the form of the exclusion, but reduced the size of the fine initially imposed on the Rotterdam side.

Tottenham's position in the Uefa Cup is unclear, but Martin Jol's men are expected to be given a bye and be automatically placed in the next round at a meeting on Monday.

Feyenoord's dismissal from the competition follows Uefa's appeal to its own Appeals Body for a tougher punishment.

The Dutch club's own appeal against the original punishment was rejected and the club were ordered to contact Nancy regarding a settlement over the damage caused by the crowd trouble.

Greece: Cameras zoom in on hooligans - 19/01/2007

Source : Kathimerini

Greece’s privacy watchdog gave the go-ahead yesterday for some 500 CCTV cameras to be installed at top-flight soccer and basketball grounds to curb fan violence, which has become a blight on both sports in recent weeks.

The Hellenic Data Protection Authority (APPD) also said it would allow tickets to be issued through an electronic system which will also print the name of the person buying the ticket.

Sports Minister Giorgos Orfanos heralded the measures last summer as a way to tackle violence at sports arenas, but Greece’s strict privacy laws meant that the implementation of the new security system was delayed.

Authorities will install 496 cameras at all 16 Super League soccer grounds as well as at the stadiums of Kallithea, Levadiakos and Akratitos. Cameras will also go into the basketball stadiums used by Panathinaikos, AEK, Olympiakos, Aris and PAOK.

“The Sports Ministry wants to put and end to violence at grounds so that mothers, fathers and children can return to the stands,” said Orfanos.

The minister admitted that the cameras and ticketing system would not be fully functioning until the start of the new season in August.

The cost of installing the new systems will be covered by state funds.

“We will be able to use the cameras to single out those involved in violence, as their names will be on the tickets,” said Orfanos who visited the Olympic Stadium yesterday.

The stadium will host the UEFA Champion’s League final on May 23. Orfanos said he is happy with the security at the stadium. Greek authorities are hoping that European club soccer’s biggest game, with a global television audience of almost 1 billion people, will go off without the fan violence that has plagued the domestic game.

Fans protest at stadium match ban - 20/01/2007

Source : BBC Birmingham

Hundreds of football fans are gathering in Wolverhampton to protest over a ban on Cardiff City fans attending a match.

Several coach loads of Bluebirds fans are meeting supporters of other clubs in the city centre for an hour-long rally opposing the ban by Wolves.

The decision followed crowd trouble at previous games between the clubs.

A decision is to be taken later on whether weather conditions will allow an airship to fly, which has been hired by 13 Cardiff fans to watch the game.

Cardiff City supporters' groups said they expected more than 200 people to attend the rally in Wolverhampton's St Peter's Square.

The protest is expected to last between 0900 GMT and 1000 GMT before supporters return to Cardiff.

It is believed many pubs in Wolverhampton city centre are to remain closed until after the game's 1300 GMT kick-off.

Last week, 13 Cardiff City fans hired an airship to fly over Molineux stadium during the match, allowing them to see the game.

A decision on whether the airship could fly was expected on Saturday morning when weather conditions have been assessed.

The protest has been designated a "Fans United" event by organisers.

Paul Corkrey, of Cardiff City supporters' group Valley Rams, said it had gathered support from fans of many other clubs.

He said: "This ban sets a dangerous precedent for everyone.

"We've been told that fans of Portsmouth, Stoke, Port Vale and Blackpool are coming along.

"Everything we can do legally to oppose this has been done - we have no legal case but we have morality on our side.

"We've already achieved what we wanted with the publicity that has come from this - particularly the blimp.

"There's been interest from all over the place - the LA Times phoned me last week - all asking the same thing."

'Disappointing'

Cardiff City Supporters' Club chair, Vince Alm, said: "We'd much rather be going up for the game but there it is. 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."

Wolves have indicated that the decision to ban the Bluebirds fans was taken "owing to problems with visiting supporters over the past two seasons".

Charges of failing to control fans were made against Cardiff City but were later dismissed by the Football Association of Wales.

Cardiff City said in light of this, the decision to ban fans was "even more disappointing".

The protest has been jointly organised by the Football Supporters' Federation (FSF), which represents over 140,000 fans in Wales and England.

FSF chair Malcolm Clarke said: "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."

West Midlands Police said they would "maintain public safety and order" during the protest.

Chief Supt Richard Green, commander at Wolverhampton's Bilston Street police station, said: "There will be an increased police presence compared to a normal Saturday in the city with police officers, PCSOs and specials providing reassurance to the public."

Drunks latest problem at Australian Open - 20/01/2007

Source : AAP

Several drunken people were ejected from the Australian Open, the latest in a string a incidents to plague the tennis tournament this week.

Victoria Police confirmed several people were ejected from the stadium for being drunk and disorderly.

However, they were ejected by security officials and not police, Victoria Police spokeswoman Sheree Argento said.

"No one was arrested at the Australian Open (on Saturday)," Ms Argento said.

The Australian Open has seen authorities face criticism this week over the alleged cover-up of a sexual assault case.

A five-year-old boy was sexually assaulted in a toilet block on Monday, a crime which was kept quiet for four days as thousands of families passed through the gates at Rod Laver Arena in central Melbourne.

While Tennis Australia and police have vigorously defended their actions, the Australian Open has been rocked by news of the arrest of a 32-year-old man allegedly filming up women's skirts.

The incident occurred at the Rod Laver Arena on Wednesday, police said.

"The man was brought to police's attention at 2.25am (AEDT) by two women who said he was trying to film up their skirts with a hand-held digital camera," police spokeswoman Marika Fengler said.

The man's camera equipment was seized and he is expected to be charged on summons with offensive behaviour and using surveillance equipment.

Tennis Australia chief executive Steve Wood has defended the organisation's handling of the assault, saying he had acted in accordance with police requests.

"I just wanted to follow the way in which the police asked me to operate, I didn't want to jeopardise in any way the investigation that is ongoing here," Mr Wood said.

Mr Wood said police advised them not to talk about the incident, which happened at the Rod Laver Arena.

The assault occurred in a cubicle of a male toilet block while the boy's mother waited outside at about 5pm (AEDT) on Monday.

Mr Wood said Tennis Australia had stepped up security after the incident.

It has been a controversial week for the Australian Open organisers, with a confrontation between Croatian and Serbian fans on Monday, while there have also been problems with extreme heat.

Reggina - Palermo - 20/01/2007

Source: Ansa

Tensions during this game in the Palermo fans terrace when police forces resotred order. Fircrackers were threw at security.

RSC Anderlecht - St Truiden - 20/01/2007

Source: mail


Local plainted-clothes policemen have been assaulted by BCS.