Former German FA Security Head Helmut Spahn said that personalized tickets at Euro 2016 are "ineffective," according to Stephan Uersfeld of ESPN. Spahn's comments "were made after right-wing extremists were pictured inside the Stade Pierre Mauroy in Lille as Germany beat Ukraine 2-0 on Sunday." Speaking to Spiegel, Spahn criticized UEFA's ticketing system. Spahn: "The way the system of personalized tickets is implemented it is totally ineffective. The option to pass tickets on virtually makes a serious identity check impossible." At least "one far-right extremist with a local stadium ban was pictured inside the stadium" as TV footage showed Michael Bruck, a Dortmund city council member for the right-wing party Die Rechte. He is banned "from attending matches at Borussia Dortmund's Westfalenstadion and was expelled from the Bundesliga club." But a spokesperson for German police division for sports related violence ZIS said that "stadium bans do not apply for matches outside of Germany" (ESPN, 6/14). In London, Owen Gibson reported hospitality companies belonging to Ipswich Town Owner Marcus Evans are among those being sued by UEFA "for allegedly selling unauthorised packages of Euro 2016 tickets." UEFA has "stepped up its efforts to clamp down on unauthorised vendors" and it said that among the companies it was suing were several that were part of the Marcus Evans Investment group, whose reclusive owner "made his fortune from the burgeoning sports hospitality industry" (GUARDIAN, 6/13).
DRINKING BAN: In London, Jack de Menezes reported a public drinking ban "will be enforced on the French cities of Lens and Lille until Friday morning in an effort to avoid similar scenes of violence that saw English, Russian and French fans clash in Marseille to overshadow the first week of Euro 2016." A number of England fans "drank excessively in Marseille and clashed with police on Thursday, Friday and Saturday, as well as with rival fans from Russia and French locals." When a large group of "over 300 Russians attacked English supporters on Saturday in an orchestrated attack, many were too intoxicated to escape the younger, fitter gang members" (INDEPENDENT, 6/14). Also in London, Ben Rumsby reported England and Wales would have to finish first and second in their Euro 2016 group "to guarantee qualification for the knockout stage if Russia is expelled from the tournament." The new format for the finals "could be thrown into chaos" if UEFA is forced "to eject the Russians over the behaviour of their fans." The competition regulations dictate that if a team is disqualified from Euro 2016, the results of all its matches are declared "null and void" and all points awarded forfeited (TELEGRAPH, 6/14).
SENSIBLE EURO WATCHING: The AFP reported Thailand's health authorities have "urged football fans to avoid getting overly excited while watching Euro 2016 lest those heart-stopping moments literally prove fatal." The Public Health Ministry "published advice calling on fans to ward off heart attacks by making sure they get enough rest and avoid long binges of football-fuelled excitement." Ministry Official Suwanchai Wattanayingcharoenchai said, "The ministry would like to advise all sport lovers -- teenagers, students, working people and the elderly -- to watch sensibly" (AFP, 6/13).
ANOTHER SUSPICIOUS PACKAGE: L’ÉQUIPE reported a suspicious package was found on Tuesday in Marseille “outside the Vélodrome Stadium.” The black bag found at the Place du Prado “forced the police to stop traffic on the Rabateau Boulvard for several minutes.” As a precaution, police decided to “blow up the package in question, in front of onlookers who did not seem panicked” (L’ÉQUIPE, 6/14).
