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World Cup: British police worried as hooligans stay out of trouble, avoid ban

Hundreds of suspected soccer hooligans are free to go to the World Cup after deliberately steering clear of trouble at recent matches so as not to risk being banned from traveling to Germany, English police say. Specialist anti-hooligan officers fear some of the known gang members who have been "keeping their noses clean" may cause problems at or around England's games during the tournament, which starts on Friday.

Although 3,351 troublemakers are subject to banning orders preventing them from leaving the country during the World Cup, other fans known to have previously taken part in disorder will not have to hand in their passports because they kept clear of violence last season so as to make certain of their place in Germany.

The head of soccer intelligence at one of England's biggest police forces, which covers several leading clubs, said: "In our area the incidence of hooliganism has decreased considerably recently, and that's because people don't want to get arrested and banned from the World Cup."

Police forces have not achieved their original target of giving 4,000 hooligans banning orders before the event begins. As a result, officers have increasingly been asking the courts to impose bail conditions equivalent to a banning order on fans arrested recently so that suspects cannot "play the system" by delaying their trial until after the World Cup. Scores of troublemakers cannot reach Germany because of such restrictions.

For example, when 44 Stoke City and Birmingham City fans were arrested in February and March following serious disturbances at an FA Cup match, almost all were banned from traveling to England matches abroad as a bail condition.

Although few England fans have been arrested at matches overseas since 2001, police suspect the historical rivalry between Germany and Britain could lead to some of the estimated 100,000 England fans expected to attend the event becoming involved in disturbances.

While none of England's three group-stage games offers an obvious flashpoint, the prospect of meeting Germany or Poland in the first knockout round is causing concern. Both countries have thousands of notorious hooligans, especially Poland.
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