Home>News Center>Sports
         
 

German watchdog warns World Cup venues unsafe
(China Daily)
Updated: 2006-01-11 06:16

BERLIN (AFP) - German consumer protection watchdog Stiftung Warentest has warned of "serious deficiencies" in security at four of the 12 stadiums to be used during the football World Cup finals starting in June.

The Olympic stadium in Berlin is seen in this October 1, 2005 file picture. Germany's World Cup stadiums have serious safety problems just five months before the tournament begins as lessons from past disasters seem to have been ignored
The Olympic stadium in Berlin is seen in this October 1, 2005 file picture. Germany's World Cup stadiums have serious safety problems just five months before the tournament begins as lessons from past disasters seem to have been ignored. [Reuters]
The independent group released a study Tuesday showing that the Olympic Stadium in Berlin, the Veltins Arena in the western city of Gelsenkirchen and Leipzig's Zentralstadion in eastern Germany were ill-equipped to cope with a stampede.

The study, presented at a news conference by one of its authors, Hubertus Primus, found that there was no plan to allow fans to enter the pitch in case of a mass panic.

"When there is a panic, the crowd keeps moving without thinking," Primus said.

The group identified a fourth stadium -- Fritz Walter in the southwestern city of Kaiserslautern -- that had serious faults in terms of fire protection.

The study, which was undertaken last September and October, found that two-thirds of the venues to be used during the World Cup failed to comply with security guidelines established by the international soccer body FIFA.

The study, some aspects of which were leaked in advance, sparked an angry reaction from the president of the World Cup's organizing committee, Franz Beckenbauer.

"Stiftung Warentest may know about face lotions, olive oils and vacuums. That's what they should stick with," he told the mass-circulation daily Bild.

The World Cup will kick off June 9 in the southern city of Munich, with the final match scheduled for July 9 in Berlin.

Beckenbauer slams report stadiums not safe

BERLIN: Franz Beckenbauer criticized a respected German consumer products group for saying there were serious deficiencies at World Cup stadiums and said in an interview published on Tuesday they should stick to face creams.
Page: 12



Selected Reuters Sports Pictures on Jan. 5
Selected Reuters Sports Pictures on Jan. 3
Selected Reuters Sports Pictures on Jan. 2
 
  Today's Top News     Top Sports News
 

U.S. mortgage watchers worry about China FX move

 

   
 

China, India to discuss border, sign deals

 

   
 

Poor surveillance led to human infections

 

   
 

Catholicism flourishes in Tibetan village

 

   
 

FM: North Korea talks facing tough times

 

   
 

China, Kazakhstan discuss gas pipeline

 

   
  Fans face hotel penalty prices
   
  Chinese sports shoe company signs its first NBA star
   
  Safin, Nadal out of Australian Open
   
  Peterhansel's day as riders mourn
   
  Tennis' Paradorn tries hand as a monk
   
  Duncan says no, Shaq maybe to play US Olympic basketball
   
 
  Go to Another Section  
 
 
  Story Tools  
   
  Related Stories  
   
Fans face hotel penalty prices
   
Trinidad's PM to intervene in ticket sales
   
Growing optimism in Germany over World Cup chances
   
East shunned as World Cup teams seek German bases
   
250,000 more World Cup tickets go on sale
   
Germany get lucky group in 2006 World Cup
   
FIFA wants over-age players out of Olympics
Manufacturers, Exporters, Wholesalers - Global trade starts here.
Advertisement