Football match staged in empty stadium
For the first time, a Swiss football match was being staged behind closed doors on Thursday because of an act of hooliganism. Sion and Servette Geneva are to face each other in an empty stadium.
Soccer authorities ordered the first division match to be replayed without any spectators after the Servette goalkeeper, Eric Pédat, was felled by a cracker thrown from behind his goal during their encounter last month. Servette lost the match 2-1.
Tight security measures are in force for the return match. Only about 100 people, mainly officials, ballboys and members of the press are being allowed into the Sion stadium.
Police in canton Valais are expected to escort the Servette team coach on the journey to the stadium. Additional security guards, with dogs, have been hired to prevent unauthorised access to the Tourbillion ground.
Before the match, Pédat appealed for calm among rival supporters. “The one thing that worries me about this match is the possibility that some people could cause trouble outside the stadium,” he told the newspaper, Tribune de Genève.
The sport minister, Samuel Schmid, put forward a series of proposals last week aimed at tackling hooliganism at sport venues, following a series of incidents at ice hockey and football matches.
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