Euro 2016 will go ahead, says Uefa
by Agency Staff,
2016-03-24 05:00:00.0
BRUSSELS — Belgium moved a friendly international against Portugal away from Brussels on Wednesday after the militant attacks on the city, while European football governing body Uefa said it had "contingency plans" for the European Championships in France.
Uefa and the French government insisted that Euro 2016 will go ahead, and there would be no games behind closed doors.
Belgium, the world’s top-ranked team, had been due to play Portugal in Brussels next Tuesday.
But a day after the attacks on Brussels airport and the city metro in which 31 people died, the Belgian federation said the match had been called off for "security reasons".
Portugal’s federation later announced that the two countries had agreed to play the match the same day in the Portuguese city of Leiria instead.
The Islamic State’s assaults on Paris and Brussels in the past four months have increased the security spotlight on the 24-country European Championships due to start in Paris on June 10.
One of the deadly suicide attacks in Paris on November 13 was against the Stade de France and security would again be heightened when France play Russia there on Tuesday, the authorities said. France’s game against the Netherlands in Amsterdam tomorrow has also been confirmed.
Uefa and France say they are determined that Euro 2016 should go ahead. French Prime Minister Manuel Valls said not holding the tournament would be "a victory for terrorists". Uefa also expressed confidence in the money-spinning event, but added that it had plans for "crisis situations".
Uefa spokesman Pedro Pinto said: "We are confident that all security measures will be in place for a safe and festive Euro and, therefore, there are no plans to play matches behind closed-doors.
"Nevertheless, we are working on contingency plans and on multiple scenarios around crisis situations since we take the security of all participants very seriously," he added, without giving details.
His comments came after Uefa vice-president Giancarlo Abete said Europe’s football governing body could not rule out holding Euro 2016 games without fans.
"From a technical point of view, the risk of ‘closed doors’ can always exist," he said.
AFP
Soccer ball. Picture: THINKSTOCK
BRUSSELS — Belgium moved a friendly international against Portugal away from Brussels on Wednesday after the militant attacks on the city, while European football governing body Uefa said it had "contingency plans" for the European Championships in France.
Uefa and the French government insisted that Euro 2016 will go ahead, and there would be no games behind closed doors.
Belgium, the world’s top-ranked team, had been due to play Portugal in Brussels next Tuesday.
But a day after the attacks on Brussels airport and the city metro in which 31 people died, the Belgian federation said the match had been called off for "security reasons".
Portugal’s federation later announced that the two countries had agreed to play the match the same day in the Portuguese city of Leiria instead.
The Islamic State’s assaults on Paris and Brussels in the past four months have increased the security spotlight on the 24-country European Championships due to start in Paris on June 10.
One of the deadly suicide attacks in Paris on November 13 was against the Stade de France and security would again be heightened when France play Russia there on Tuesday, the authorities said. France’s game against the Netherlands in Amsterdam tomorrow has also been confirmed.
Uefa and France say they are determined that Euro 2016 should go ahead. French Prime Minister Manuel Valls said not holding the tournament would be "a victory for terrorists". Uefa also expressed confidence in the money-spinning event, but added that it had plans for "crisis situations".
Uefa spokesman Pedro Pinto said: "We are confident that all security measures will be in place for a safe and festive Euro and, therefore, there are no plans to play matches behind closed-doors.
"Nevertheless, we are working on contingency plans and on multiple scenarios around crisis situations since we take the security of all participants very seriously," he added, without giving details.
His comments came after Uefa vice-president Giancarlo Abete said Europe’s football governing body could not rule out holding Euro 2016 games without fans.
"From a technical point of view, the risk of ‘closed doors’ can always exist," he said.
AFP
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