London Rioting Prompts Fears Over Soccer and Olympics

[BackToThe60s]

Source: New York Times

Fearing for the safety of players and fans amid the rioting in London, soccer officials on Tuesday canceled two international matches and may postpone the opening weekend of the English Premier League, prompting questions about the city’s ability to secure high-profile events like soccer matches and next summer’s Olympics.

Those decisions were caused by the widespread violence in the city, with rioters setting cars and buildings afire, looting stores and challenging an already stretched police force. The unrest has spread into neighborhoods near the Olympic Park in east London, the site of the Olympic Stadium and several other sites that will form the heart of the 2012 London Games.

The timing could not have been worse. This week, executives from the International Olympic Committee and officials from nearly 200 national Olympic committees arrived in London for meetings about the Summer Games. At the same time, several test events, including beach volleyball, badminton and cycling, are being held.

“There’s no doubt that this is a very bad day, a worrying day, for Olympic organizers in London,” said Tony Travers, a professor at the London School of Economics who has studied the impact of the Olympics on the city. “They planned to protect London from conventional terrorism. But of all the things they might have thought might happen, I’d be surprised if civil insurrections was high up on their list of expected risk factors.”

Read more: http://www.nytimes.com/2011/08/10/sports/london-rioting-prompts-fears-over-soccer-matches-and-the-olympics.html?ref=world

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Hmph! Typical alarmism from the liberal media. I'm sure that by the time the Olympics begin next year, Brits---especially their soccer fans---will be back to their usual polite and well-behaved selves.

[elleng]

1. I think you forgot

:sarcasm:

[AndyTiedye]

2. Think the "Football Supporters" Might Take on the Rioters?

…if it looks like the rioters are endangering their beloved football matches?

[dipsydoodle]

4. Hopefully

I've always wondered what might cause them to side up instead of bashing shit out of each other.

Example : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=APb7TeeN8Tg

At least the lads even from opposing teams could recognise each other easily - no hoods.

[BackToThe60s]

3. ?

Are you suggesting there has been trouble in the past involving British soccer fans? If so, could you perhaps provide a source?

;-)

[dipsydoodle]

5. Only against each other

I've no recollection of them affecting the general public much not here in the UK anyway. Some one posted a picture yesterday of what may have been Millwall out on the streets to deter rioters. See rllpy #7 here http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=102&topic_id=4954395&mesg_id=4954526

The Liverpool v. Juventus 1985 match was however a completely different ball game despite the fact that was largely fans against fans.

[SwissTony]

6. Once again, you forgot the sarcasm thingy.

Football hooliganism is often referred to as the "English Disease". As dipsy says, it's usually directed towards opposition fans.

Google "English football hooliganism" for more information.

[BackToThe60s]

7. Is that really necessary, though?

I think some things just speak for themselves. :evilgrin:

[Divernan]

8. The Spurs' White Hart Lane stadium is at ground zero in Tottenham

HOW THE RIOTS HIT SPORT

DOMESTIC FOOTBALL: The Premier League season is due to begin this weekend but matches at Tottenham, Fulham and QPR on Saturday have been put in doubt. With the trouble spreading to other cities, the Premier League and Football League meet tomorrow(Thursday) to discuss the situation after Carling Cup ties in the London area last night were postponed. Bristol Rovers v Watford on Wednesday is off.

INTERNATIONAL FOOTBALL: England's friendly against Holland, due to be staged at Wembley tonight, has been cancelled. The friendly between Nigeria and Ghana at Watford's Vicarage Road stadium has also been called off.

Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand reacted by appealing for calm on social networking site Twitter.
In a post to over one million of his followers, the England vice-captain wrote: 'Unrest now in Manchester....come on now....this isn't the way....stooooooooop it. What is this in aid of?? Innocent people are the victims.'

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2024394/London-riots-2011-Tottenham-players-want-Everton-game-cancelled.html#ixzz1UfmSb2aU
______________________________________________________________________________________________________

Sports aside, it is tragic for this to be happening to London and Londoners. The daily bravery of Londoners during the World War II blitz was inspiring to the whole free world. Here's a quote from a piece on radio broadcasts covering WW II.
http://www.scribd.com/doc/28046019/World-War-II-on-the-Air

When it came time for reporters (Eric) Sevareid and (William) Shirer to return to America, (Edward R.)Murrow, the consummate boss, saw them off personally. Murrow drove Sevareid to London's Waterloo station. From England, Sevareid flew to Lisbon and then on to America. Sevareid left after a farewell broadcast in which he talked about the French, who had folded, and the British, who had not and whose struggle had his whole heart.

He described the British as "a peaceable people who had gone to war in their aprons and their bowlers, with their old fowling pieces, with their ketchup bottles filled with gasoline and standing ready on the pantry shelves." He ended by quoting the comment that at war's end, many would say with pride that they had been a soldier, sailor, or pilot. He added, "others will say with equal pride:

"I was a citizen of London."

And long before WW II, Samuel Johnson said:

"Why, Sir, you find no man, at all intellectual, who is willing to leave London. No, Sir, when a man is tired of London, he is tired of life; for there is in London all that life can afford."
— Samuel Johnson
http://www.samueljohnson.com/tiredlon.html

Yes, I admit it. I am an unrepentant Anglophile!