Three English football hooligans have been refused entry to Germany as they attempted to cross into the country through the Czech Republic ahead of the World Cup, German police said on Wednesday.
They had chosen an indirect route into Germany in order to escape detection, said a spokesperson for the German border police in Sankt Augustin near Bonn.
The three were among a total of nine hooligans turned away from the border in recent days, although the spokesperson gave no details of the nationalities of the other six.
British authorities have banned 3 500 known football hooligans from entering Germany for the World Cup, which begins on Friday, but up to 200 have failed to surrender their passports.
It was not immediately clear if the three English hooligans were subject to the so-called banning orders issued by British authorities.
British police have admitted that some potential troublemakers will slip through the net, pointing to the fact that Germany shares a border with nine countries.
England’s first World Cup game is against Paraguay in Frankfurt on Saturday.
Brawling England fans caused mayhem at the 1998 World Cup in France and at Euro 2000 in Belgium. — AFP
