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Off duty

Clubs warn against withdrawal of police presence at games

By František Bouc
Staff Writer, The Prague Post
March 5th, 2008 issue

ČTK
Baník Ostrava's notoriously rowdy fans ran afoul of police as the team faced Sparta Praha in the ČMFS Cup final in Liberec May 19, 2007.
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Gambrinus liga soccer clubs are in turmoil after the Cabinet put forward a bill Feb. 25 that seeks to end police patrols at soccer stadiums during games. Should the bill pass Parliament, the police would walk away from stadiums next January.
“We wanted to ease the life of our policemen so they can fully focus on their legal duties,” Interior Minister Ivan Langer explained. “Providing security at sports stadiums should not be their job.”
The bill would put responsibility on the clubs’ stewards and hired security to keep the peace at stadiums. The police would not automatically be present inside stadiums, as they are now, but would only enter arenas should stewards fail to enforce order.
Representatives of most Gambrinus liga clubs said that the absence of police would increase their costs, as they would have to hire a larger number of security agents. Moreover, they agreed, they could not imagine facing the rowdy crowds of soccer hooligans without police backing.
“We cannot imagine not having the police at particularly high-risk games, because we would hardly be capable of enforcing the order in case of a major disturbance,” said Igor Bruzl, Baník Ostrava’s spokesman. Traditionally, Baník fans are among the most aggressive rooters in the league.
The police detain about 300 hooligans before, during and after football games every year. But that number belies how many further incidents the police presence averts, added Sparta Praha spokesman Jakub Otava.
“A complete withdrawal of the police from stadiums would be quite risky,” Otava said.
Miroslav Platil, security official for the Czech Football Association (ČMFS), said the ČMFS will negotiate with the police this summer about how its members can provide security at stadiums. He said the police should still be ready to take action during games, in case they’re called by organizers.
While a visible police presence will likely fade away at games, undercover police will remain present, said police spokeswoman Jana Bartíková.
“Our plans copy the model used in the United Kingdom and Germany, where there’s a limited police presence at stadiums, but undercover police agents are present in the stands and are ready to take action in case of disturbance,” she said.
To make the security system work like the one in the United Kingdom, it is necessary to boost the legal status of stewards hired by clubs, Bartíková added.
“Today, they do not have any special competence and, in front of the law, they have the same rights as any other citizens,” she said.

František Bouc can be reached at fbouc@praguepost.com


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