True Fans Prepare for a Peaceful German World Cup

A brawl between some 100 German and Polish hooligans last month raised fears that this was just a warm-up before next summer's World Cup match that pits the neighboring countries against each other in Dortmund.

The June 14 game is still a long way off, but Germany's central location in Europe has already started causing headaches for German authorities and organizers. True soccer fans have already started doing their part to make sure that Germany 2006 does not go down in history as a violence-filled attraction for seedy elements -- unlike France 1998 where German hooligans almost beat a French policeman to death and English supporters ran wild in Marseille.

This week, fan project heads from 12 nations, including England and the Netherlands whose fans have a notorious reputation for violent tendencies, completed a five-day workshop in Hamburg with security and World Cup officials.

A positive experience is possible

"We're convinced if we welcome people in Germany like guests and look after the needs of fans, then you create a much more secure atmosphere," Michael Gabriel of Germany's KOS fan project told Reuters.

The proof can be found in the past Gabriel said.

"We had good experiences in England 1996 and Portugal 2004 (European Championships), when a positive atmosphere for the whole event was generated. We're telling the police not to be worried."

Gabriel's English counterpart and workshop attendee, Kevin Miles, said the conditions for a successful World Cup with little violence do exist. He insisted, however, that an alcohol ban at public viewing venues should not even be considered.

"Most fans are against violence," the spokesman for Football Supporters' Federation (FSF) said. "Most fans think that having no ticket and drinking large amounts are fine (but) I think that public viewing is a risk, and it needs policing, but it's positive."

The most significant measure is banning orders, to prevent the worst English hooligans from even setting foot on the continent. "Banning orders serve to relax the foreign police," Miles said.

Fan embassies there when trouble brews

There's no way to eliminate all potential before millions of fans get together; too much alcohol lowers inhibitions and pickpockets thrive in such environments. Hence, groups such as KOS in Germany, the FSF in England and Euro Support from the Netherlands, plan to set up fan embassies to take action when the inevitable fight breaks out, possessions are stolen or police make arrests.

At EURO 2004 in Portugal, Euro Support acted as intermediaries when a group of Dutch supporters had their belongings stolen.

"When something nasty happens, we make the point that this doesn't reflect on all the people of a country," said Martijn Pelle. "We're intermediaries and we show that people are doing their best. We can play a role."

Cheap accommodations lacking

The embassies are also there to inform fans in four languages about places to eat and drink, entertainment on offer and how to find cheap accommodation. An inexpensive place to sleep is a big concern for many visitors from abroad.

"My hotel room costs 65 euros ($78) now. During the World Cup it will cost 270," said Miles.

True to the World Cup motto "A Time to Make Friends," an event management company has established a Web site to help willing hosts and seeking guests get together and make a deal for a stay during the World Cup. It may not ease the situation for cash-strapped fans, but it's a contribution to making the world's largest sporting event less stressful for everyone involved.