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Post by rugbytoffee on Jan 9, 2018 22:40:32 GMT
The 2018 World Cup in Russia is set to have British police officers on patrol.
Authorities in the United Kingdom are anticipating a formal request from the Russian Police within the next three weeks for assistance at this summer’s tournament.
The idea will be for Britain to send a team of officers who are already familiar with the behaviour of English fans, so that any threat of trouble is kept to a minimum.
It comes after Britain's most senior football officer – deputy chief constable Mark Roberts – warned before Christmas: 'There is an active hooligan issue in Russia and it generally operates at a pretty extreme level of violence.’
Roberts also said Three Lions fans will be seen as laying down a ‘challenge’ if they sing nationalistic songs.
England’s group games against Tunisia, Panama and Belgium will be held in the Russian cities of Volgograd, Nizhny Novgorod and Kaliningrad respectively.
Once Russia have sent their request to the National Police Chiefs' Council, the Home Office will be expected to give the green light to have British officers help oversee England's games.
These football-specific officers are called ‘spotters’. The size of the team that is sent will be kept secret for security reasons.
Despite the violence at Euro 2016, there was good collaboration between England police and Russians.
It is hoped that by sending British officers then any out-of-the-ordinary behaviour will be easier to spot. They will also work with local Russian police to prevent incidents and share intelligence.
Previous host nations, such as Brazil in 2014, have found the tactic of inviting police officers from various competing countries can work favourably.
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Post by rugbytoffee on Apr 10, 2018 8:56:18 GMT
Football is known as the great unifier, but Western media is using the Skripal case to urge fans not to go to Russia for the World Cup, saying it's unsafe to do so. FIFA President Gianni Infantino says that perception is untrue.
"Of course it is safe to go to Russia, and it will be even safer to go to Russia during the World Cup... the preparations in terms of security for the World Cup are beyond any other event," Infantino told Danish football legend Peter Schmeichel, who has a new show on RT.
Infantino went on to say that, despite tensions between Russia and other nations that fell out diplomatically over the poisoning of Sergei Skripal, it's important to focus solely on the sport. "We have to try to unite. Football is uniting."
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