English hooligans thwarted by police

BRITISH and South African police have thwarted attempts by English hooligans to get to the World Cup and around 3,200 identified trouble-makers have until today to hand in their passports to prevent them travelling.

With 11 days to go before the start of football’s showpiece tournament, the focus is on security with South African police minister Nathi Mthethwa saying around a dozen English hooligans had been intercepted as they tried to sneak into the country via Dubai.

“A month ago some of them were trying to go via Dubai to come to South Africa and UK forces were able to nip them,” Mthethwa told a news conference.

South African officials have said they are working with British police to prevent hooligans reaching Africa’s first World Cup.

Convicted football hooligans must surrender their passports by today to stop them travelling to the World Cup in South Africa.

Individuals in England and Wales with football banning orders must hand over their documents at police stations.

They will also have to report to the police on every England match day during the tournament.

Passports will be returned on Sunday 11 July, when the World Cup finishes.

South African police minister Nathi Mthethwa said: “We really will not take any nonsense this time around,” he said.

Assistant Chief Constable Dave Thompson, head of the domestic World Cup operation told the BBC that hooliganism was “much less of a problem than in the past”.

He added: “Football banning orders have been very successful, with less than 10% of those who are issued with banning orders re-offending. There are however a small minority of people who engage in football related violence and disorder, causing a risk to the safety of the vast majority of law abiding football supporters.”