BERLIN, Oct. 8 (dpa/EP) –
The German Football Federation (DFB) was concerned about the phenomenon of violent fans, according to statements by its president, Bernd Neuendorf, that the newspaper ‘Bild’ publishes in its edition this Saturday.
German football fears that the riots caused by fans could overshadow the celebration of Euro 2024 in the country, after the researcher Gunter A. Pilz observed a “renaissance” of this phenomenon.
Neuendorf commented that “from the German point of view, this is problematic ahead of Euro 2024.” “We want to celebrate a soccer festival with a good atmosphere and joy,” he added.
Several incidents recently occurred in European competition matches in which ultras from the German teams Union Berlin, in Sweden, and Cologne and Eintracht Frankfurt, in France, have also been involved.
“We’re seeing a revival of ‘hooliganism,'” with “people visiting a stadium for the sole purpose of being violent,” Pilz said, adding that he also sees links to far-right groups and martial arts circles. “That worries me,” he warned.
For his part, the director of the criminal investigation office of the city of Cologne, Michael Esser, told ‘Bild’ that violent fans are increasingly better connected internationally and that there is mutual support. “Due to the degree of organization (they have), we must check with the Prosecutor’s Office if they are not rather criminal organizations,” he said.