More police cooperation to help combat hooligans

Nearly every other football match of Switzerland's two top division over the past 12 months saw violence in the stadium or outside, according to latest figures. © Keystone/Salvatore Di Nolfi

The Swiss authorities have pledged to apply measures against football hooligans more consistently and to speed up the implementation of stadium bans.

The heads of 26 cantonal police departments presented a set of priorities agreed with local police forces, the clubs and the Swiss Football League, saying it is inacceptable that nearly one in two matches of the top division was marked by violence in and around the stadiums as well as on trains.

“This is too much,” said Paul Winiker, director of Lucerne’s police department at a news conference on Friday.

He said the cantonal authoritiesExternal link were examining ways of adapting current regulations and will present a report before the middle of next year.

In the meantime, the cantonal police chiefs decided to step up cooperation in a bid to crack down on violent football fans, including people lighting flares or causing damage to public transport.

A study into violence at sports events found that spot checks rather than systematic security measures did not lead to an increase in violent incidents.

Scientists at the University of Bern said the good hosting de-escalation strategies tested over the past three years paid off but there are considerable differences in applying the concept.

Nearly 1,600 people are currently listed in a Swiss hooligan database. More than half of them are banned from entering or going near a football stadium.