The 2006 World Cup football finals in Germany will be surrounded by draconian security measures, but organisers are determined not to spoil the occasion for the fans, German Interior Minister Otto Schily said on Wednesday.
”We have a gigantic task to fulfil,” Schily told a meeting of Germany’s 16 regional interior ministers.
”I am convinced we can provide optimal security, but despite the security measures, the atmosphere of the sporting event must not suffer.”
The regional ministers began drawing up a security blueprint for the 62 matches of the tournament, which will take place in 12 German cities from June 9 to July 9 next year.
Thomas de Maiziere, the interior minister of the central regional state of Hesse — which contains the country’s financial capital, Frankfurt — said many measures are already agreed upon.
”Lists of known hooligans have been circulated and all match tickets will carry the name of the holder,” he said. ”We believe this will help prevent any trouble escalating.”
The last World Cup finals in 2002 in Japan and South Korea were free from trouble, but the 1998 event in France was marred by fighting involving England fans. The worst incident, though, saw German supporters beat a French police officer so badly that he suffered brain damage.
Five of them were caught and sentenced to jail terms ranging from three-and-a-half to 10 years. — Sapa-AFP