Blackburn, February 27: As France prepares for the biggest World Cup in history, police chiefs from around the globe meet in Britain this week to try to ensure the tournament is not hijacked by hooligans.At a conference in Blackburn, north-west of England, today and tomorrow, Britain will be seeking to pass on the lessons it has learned in two decades of tackling soccer hooligans, once known as the ``English Disease.''
Since hosting an almost trouble-free European Cup in 1996, Britain is widely acknowledged as a world expert on controlling soccer violence.
As current president of the European Union, it is trying to ensure that its methods are put to use in France this summer, where football experts are warning that a shortage of tickets could lead to an explosion of violence.There will be 32 teams in this year's tournament and more spectators, media and sponsors than ever before.
There could also be more ticket-less fans roaming the towns and cities of France than its police can deal with.
Fans incountries taking part in the World Cup have been allocated only 20 per cent of the tickets, 60 per cent has gone to French football fans and the remainder to sponsors.
Arch-rivals Belgium and the Netherlands have received fewer than 6,000 tickets for their clash on June 13 in Paris' new 80,000-seater Stade de France.
Since France is within easy travelling distance of many participating countries, affluent fans are likely to swarm there, convinced they will be able to buy black market tickets.
The French organisers say they will be thorough checking that only named ticket holders get into matches.
But the tickets are already being touted on the Internet, at least one of the 17 agents who bid huge sums for the right to sell tickets has been reported to have sold tickets abroad, so that fans from rival countries could find themselves sitting together.
National football associations have complained bitterly about the ticketing arrangements, but British Home Secretary (interior minister) Jack Straw, whois hosting the seminar, has said he is confident France will be tough with ticket touts.
The message Britain will be trying to press home is the need to ensure that over-stressed police do not inflame the potential for violence.British attributed its success in managing Euro '96 to a new low-key style of policing, where police mingled among the fans inside and outside the grounds.
There were no truncheons or riot gear on view and the result was happy scenes of football fans borrowing policeman's helmets to have their photographs taken.
France has lined up 6,000 police and hundreds of soldiers to keep soccer thugs under control, but British fans wonder whether they will be able to adapt to a less confrontational style.
Last-year, televised scenes of Italian police battering troublesome English fans during a match in Rome provoked outrage in Britain.
``I am worried about how the police are going to treat English fans, all fans in fact, because policing in France can be very heavy handed,'' said Spiersof England's football supporters association.
But British police have greater confidence in France's willingness to adapt their approach.
``We feel there is a good chance policing will be effective. The French appear very impressed and keen to take on the British style of communication, which is allied to tact and good humour,'' said a spokesman for the Association of Chief Police Officers.
Copyright © 1998 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.
