Dutch soccer ‘at point of no return’

Press, 24 October 1989, Page 37

Dutch soccer ‘at point of no return’

NZPA-AFP Paris A terrifying new form of soccer violence cast its shadow over the European football scene last week-end when a double bomb attack in a packed stadium in the Netherlands left 19 people injured — nine of them seriously. The home-made cluster bombs were thrown half an hour into a league game between Ajax and Feyenoord — two of Europe’s most illustrious clubs but also sides which have some of the game’s most unruly fans. Already this season Ajax’s fans have caused the expulsion of their team from European club competitions after the Austria Vienna goalkeeper was injured when an iron bar was thrown from the terraces in a first-round U.E.F.A. Cup clash. “We have had things like Molotov cocktails thrown before,” an Amsterdam police spokesman, Klaas Witling, said, “but this is the first time that such powerful bombs have been thrown in the stands.” Mr Witling said the cluster bombs were made from food cans and filled with nails and shotgun cartridges. A stunned Ajax director, Arie van Eijden, said: “Dutch football has reached the point of no return. It’s not just Ajax, or Feyenoord. AH clubs in the Netherlands are concerned.” Two Feyenoord fans among five immediately detained by the police were later charged with the bomb attack after being identified by witnesses. The match was not stopped and the two teams drew 1-1. Violence also marred the league programme in France. Marseille supporters, travelling to watch their team’s disappointing 3-0 top-of-the-table defeat at Bordeaux, wrecked a motorway service station and later clashed with the police. Paris St Germain’s supporters, who stoned the bus bringing Italy’s Juventus players to the French capital for the first-leg of the U.E.F.A. Cup second-round match in midweek, were back in action on Saturday. Their target this time was the coach bringing the Lyon players to the Parc des Princes. Fortunately no-one was hurt and Lyon came away with a shock 1-0 win thanks to a late penalty. On the footballing front, a late goal by Diego Maradona clinched a 2-0 victory for Napoli over visiting Inter Milan and kept the South American star’s club three points clear of its rivals on top of the Italian first division. Meanwhile at least 24 fans were injured yesterday when a crush barrier in a stand collapsed after two minutes from half-time in the Argentine first division clash between Boca Juniors and Argentinos Juniors. The match at the Atlanta stadium was immediately halted. Most of the injured suffered broken bones and were taken to hospital.