New Straits Times

Over 1,000 England hooligans blocked from Russia trip

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LONDON: Over 1,000 English football hooligans have had to hand in their passports ahead of the World Cup in Russia to prevent them from attending, diminishin­g fears of a repeat of the clashes with Russian rivals at the Euro 2016 finals.

The British government issued a statement on Wednesday saying that the Football Banning Orders Authority (FBOA) — part of the Home Office — ordered 1,312 banned individual­s who hold a passport to surrender it to police last week.

The latest figures released on Wednesday show that forces in England and Wales have accounted for 1,254 passports.

Some 10,000 England fans are due to travel to Russia for the tournament.

“This (the 1,254) represents 96% of the people currently subject to football banning orders who hold a passport,” read the statement.

“Police will continue to root out the small number of outstandin­g passports throughout the tournament.”

Police will keep the passports until the World Cup final on July 15 regardless of whether England have already been knocked out or not.

Nick Hurd, the Minister for Policing and the Fire Service, expressed his satisfacti­on that the football fans in Russia would not have their trip ruined by “thugs.”

“The World Cup is a festival of football and is no place for violence or disorder,” said Hurd.

“The UK’s system of football banning orders is unique and means that people intent on causing trouble in Russia will instead be staying at home.

“I’m grateful to police forces for taking the necessary enforcemen­t action to ensure that these thugs won’t be able to ruin the tournament for real fans.”

Football-related arrests have fallen to an all-time low since the introducti­on of football banning orders in 2000.

Football banning orders are imposed by courts and can last for up to 10 years. Breaching a banning order is a criminal offence and can result in a fine of up to £5,000 (RM27,000) and a sixmonth prison sentence.

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