Cracking down on football and ice hockey hooligans

The excessive use of flares can be sanctioned by imposing restraining orders Keystone

Police directors have presented a series of measures and recommendations, including closer cooperation between security services and sports clubs, to combat violence at sports events in Switzerland.

The recommendations by the justice and police directors of the 26 cantons, published on Wednesday, call for a joint implementation of procedures to help identify violent troublemakers in and around sports stadiums and impose sanctions.

The announcement comes two weeks after the kick-off of the Swiss football championship. The ice hockey season is due to start next month.

The proposed measures include the filming of supporters in and around sports stadiums as well as organising transport of fans to events.

The illegal use of flares is to be punished more consistently and a so-called Good Hosting programme is aimed at reducing violence in Swiss football stadiums.

However, the recommendations stop short of billing clubs for damages caused in organised public or private transport. Plans to introduce systematic ID checks for special sectors in stadiums were also abandoned, according to a statement.

A police coordination office, with the financial support of the country’s football and ice hockey associations, formally launched operations in May. It is a merger of anti-hooligan services in German- and French-speaking regions.