Swiss football games marred by hooligans
Every third football game in Switzerland over the past six months has been marked by violent incidents according to new data collected by the federal and cantonal authorities.
Most incidents involving militant supporters occurred in Zurich, which has two teams in the national top league, and most of the violence was reported outside the stadiums, according to the SonntagsZeitung newspaper.
The database, which was launched on a trial basis, records cases of hooligans lighting flares (44%) and causing damage to property (44%). The report also mentions nearly 20% of cases of injuries caused to non-participants in the violence.
Violence in Swiss ice-hockey stadiums appears to be less widespread. Only one in ten games was the scene of troublemakers on the rampage.
+ Cracking down on violence at sports events
The head of the police coordination unit in FribourgExternal link says the data gathered allows for improved analysis of the reported incidents and has already led to the football and ice-hockey clubs seeking talks with the national sports associations and transport companies, notably the Federal Railways.
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