FIFA accepts new crowd control measures after stadium deaths
Zurich - Football's governing body FIFA on Friday announced that in the wake of the latest stadium disaster in the Ivory Coast during which at least 22 fans died in March the organization had accepted new crowd control measures.
In a statement issued in Zurich, FIFA said that their Stadium and Security Committee decided that, with immediate effect, games would only be started if there were no confirmed cases of security issues.
"The match commissioner and referees should therefore not start a match unless security is established outside the stadium and spectators have taken their seats," FIFA said.
The organization also announced that the football federations of Bosnia and Herzegovina and Poland have been fined for serious crowd disturbances.
The Bosnian federation was fined 50,000 Swiss franc (45,000 dollars) for incidents after a World Cup qualifying game in Belgium in March.
"Between 45 and 50 fireworks were set off by the Bosnian supporters, with a large number landing on the pitch. The match had to be interrupted for eight minutes and the teams sent back to the changing rooms. A Bosnian supporter also invaded the pitch during the game," FIFA said in the statement.
Poland was fined 25,000 Swiss franc for an infringement during their World Cup qualifier against Northern Ireland.
"Polish supporters set off a number of fireworks at the beginning of the match, five of which were thrown onto the pitch. Later in the same match, police had to enter one of the Polish supporters' areas of the stadium and had various objects thrown at them.
"Both Bosnia-Herzegovina and Poland have been warned as to their future conduct. Should incidents of such gravity occur again, harsher sanctions, such as a points deduction or elimination of the representative team from a respective tournament, will be imposed by the FIFA Disciplinary Committee."
FIFA also announced that they had fined the Greek football federation 25,000 Swiss franc after lasers were used and political banners displayed by Greek supporters during their home game against Israel. (dpa)
