[Oliver_Kahn]

The DFL (Deutsche Fußball Liga GmbH) and the Deutsche Fußball-Bund (DFB) will create a joint task force to combat violence in German football stadiums.


The new Task Force will make the information exchange and communication between the two organisations more effective.

The members of the task force will be announced in the coming days. The goal of the task force will be to review the situation in the 16 German state football associations and in the football clubs as well as in the Bundesliga and 2. Bundesliga and propose, initiate and coordinate short and long-term measures to combat violence, anti-foreigner sentiment and racism.

Detailed report on incidents

The creation of the task force was the result of a meeting between DFL President Werner Hackmann and DFB President Dr. Theo Zwanziger in Frankfurt.

The basis for their considerations at the meeting was a detailed report about the past weekend's violent incidents at fooball matches.

The report dealt with the incidents at the 2. Bundesliga match between FC Augsburg and TSV München 1860 and at the Northern Regional League game between Hertha BSC Berlin II and 1. FC Dynamo Dresden, as well as the cancellation of the entire round of play in the Siegen-Wittgenstein County League.

Tougher regulations for Regional League and clubs

DFB General Secretary Horst R. Schmidt reviewed the detailed report concluding that each of the incidents was unique and similar incidents on other occasions cannot be completely ruled out, even in light of the strictest security meaures possible and cooperation with the police authorities.

A proposal to order the Regional Leagues to initiate tougher regulations regarding the improvement of football stadiums in the near future has also been put forward.

"Violence and Racism shouldn't be trivialized"

DFL President Werner Hackmann commented on the current discussion about the violent incidents: "We are certain that at the moment withmodern stadiums and security measures, such problems can be controlled in the Bundesliga but that they may occur sporadically in connection with 2. Bundesliga games."

He added that: "We shouldn't trivialize the latent dangers of violence and racism. The DFL and the DFB will not tolerate the questionable acitivities of hooligans and other rioters who attempt to misuse the populatiy of football for their own ends. And that's why it makes sense from the point of view of professional football to set up this task force immediately."

"Comparison to World Cup atmosphere out of place"

DFB President Dr. Theo Zwanziger comments were clear: "It's obvious that the phenomenon of violence is more concentrated at the Regional League level and below. We've followed those developments carefully for some time now. And we did not lose sight of the problem despite the peaceful atmosphere during the World Cup. In view of the current incidents we have to face up to the fact that the problem of violence in German football has not yet been dealt with completely."

Dr. Zwanziger added: "It's always been clear to us that a comparison of the World Cup and our day-to-day football league was out of place. During the World Cup, the radical minority of trouble-makers was scared off through years of careful preparations and very strict security measures. And unfortunately those kinds of measures simply can't be carried out in our day-to-day organisation of football, especially not at the amateur club level."