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Decision due UEFA: Leeds' plan to ban Turk fans 'makes sense'
Posted: Sunday April 09, 2000 04:21 PM
LONDON (Reuters) -- European soccer's governing body on Sunday lent support to Leeds United's plan to ban Galatasaray fans from their UEFA Cup semifinal second leg after two English supporters were killed in Istanbul last week. UEFA spokesman Frits Ahlstroem said the proposal, put forward because of security reasons, "made a lot of sense," adding a final ruling about the game on April 20 would be made on Monday or Tuesday. Leeds wants the ban on away supporters because it is worried about retaliatory violence after two of their fans were stabbed to death during trouble 24 hours before Thursday's first leg which they lost 2-0. "It made a lot of sense to us because it's a question of making everybody at Elland Road safe for the second leg," Ahlstroem said from UEFA's base in Switzerland. "That's why we fully understood if Leeds United can't guarantee the security. This is something special in this situation and we have full understanding for that." UEFA has already sent a letter to both clubs telling them it would be better for the game to be played without Turkish supporters. It is waiting for official responses from both clubs, expected on Monday, before announcing a ruling. No pointGalatasaray said on Friday it saw no point in playing the second leg if its fans were barred from coming. But Ahlstroem said UEFA had not discussed moving the game to a neutral venue. "We haven't discussed moving it to another ground. What we are dealing with at the moment is the two clubs. We have told them that there shouldn't be any Turkish supporters for obvious reasons," he said. "We need official feedback from both clubs. I presume we will see that tomorrow. As soon as we receive that we are close to a conclusion." Asked if it looked like the game would be played at Elland Road without Turkish supporters, he added: "At the moment it looks like that, but no final decision has been taken." Leeds supporters Christopher Loftus and Kevin Speight died after knife attacks in Istanbul. Their bodies were returned home on Friday night. Hoteliers in Leeds have already shown their desire not to have Galatasaray fans in the city by refusing to take bookings from Turkey. Leeds's decision to try to stop Turkish fans travelling to Elland Road has been backed by the English Football Association. A UEFA decision could come as early as Monday, Ahlstroem said. "I hope tomorrow already. But I can't promise that of course," he said. "It is important to take a decision which is fair because two people have lost their lives here...Also it is a very emotional case and we have to be very careful about what we are doing."
Copyright 2003 Reuters Limited. All rights reserved.
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