UEFA must deal with European football violence head on by learning from the UK, not blaming us
Posted, May 11, 2007 @ 00:00
Brussels 11 April -- Following the violence at recent Champions League matches in Rome, Seville and Manchester, Chris Heaton-Harris MEP, Conservative Sports Spokesman, condemned those who say British hooliganism is back. British football fans have also been the victims of violence and police at European games on the Continent should learn from the best practise which has evolved in the U.K.
Mr Heaton-Harris says: "For too long now, the excellent standards of policing and crowd control at British football stadia, which have done so much to rid us of the hooliganism of the past, have not been matched in parts of mainland Europe. Football in the U.K. is by no means perfect, but our leagues, clubs and football authorities have led the way in sensible, effective stewarding and policing at matches. The violence that we witnessed in Italy and Spain this week has virtually been eradicated from our domestic game."
Conservatives agree that it is not good enough for UEFA merely to launch another ‘enquiry’ or ‘investigation’, only to drop the matter when the media spotlight has moved on. Mr Heaton-Harris has already spoken to and written to UEFA to urge them to take serious, tangible action to improve the safety for all supporters when they travel away from home in UEFA competitions. English fans and clubs have rightly been heavily sanctioned for their indiscretions in the past, and UEFA must hold other European teams and leagues to that same standard now.
He added: "Simply blaming the travelling support or invoking the past problems with English fans would be unfair and unjust. The World Cup in Germany, attended by tens of thousands of English fans, recently passed off without serious incident. Both Man Utd and Spurs have sent fans around Europe this season, but until now have not experienced this kind of trouble. Liverpool fans did not experience it when they travelled to Eindhoven in the same week. Better policing at football games is achievable, and the standards in England and in some other leagues around Europe prove that. The recent events demand that UEFA put real pressure on all European authorities to follow that lead, and the Conservatives in the European Parliament will push UEFA to do just that."
Equally, Mr Heaton-Harris wants an assurance that the police in Athens are aware of the best ways to police English fans, given the now very high possibility of an all-English Champions League final there. The fans travelling to Greece to celebrate English football's new-found dominance in Europe should not have to suffer the kind of violence and intimidation that we witnessed earlier this month.