SPORTS> Feature and Column
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SPORTS> Feature and Column
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Soccer - England, US, Iran pose security risks in World Cup 2006
(Reuters)
Updated: 2006-03-18 15:43 Some German officials are concerned that security in these "public viewing areas" could be one of the biggest problems, particularly given the ready availability of beer and wine. "If (alcohol) serves to create a good happy atmosphere we have nothing against it, but of course if people drink so much they become aggressive, then that's a serious problem," Ernstberger said. As well as the English fans, some 20,000 Croats and up to 15,000 Mexicans are expected to come to Nuremberg. The number of U.S. fans is expected to be much smaller, but security for the American players will be a major preoccupation. Ernstberger said all cities hosting U.S. games would work together on a "common security standard". But if anything, it is the prospect of hosting the Iranian team that seems to make local officials most nervous. International tensions over Iran's nuclear programme and statements from President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, denying the Holocaust and saying Israel should be wiped from the map, have made the team's visit a potentially delicate one. "What worries us politically a bit is not that the Iranian team is playing here, but that it may be accompanied by politicians, which causes us some concern at the moment because of the political situation," said Peter Murrmann, World Cup planning coordinator for Nuremberg. "We don't know for example if the Iranian president will come with the team to Germany," he said, acknowledging this could trigger protests. For his part, Ernstberger is hoping for a trouble-free tournament which will give the police a chance to present a welcoming face -- in keeping with the official World Cup slogan, "a time to make friends". At this point, he says, "I have no reason to paint horror scenarios on the wall."
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