Two Hungarian members of France’s legendary Foreign Legion spat on police who were trying to stop fighting in a Euro 2016 stadium, a French court was told on Monday.
The two legionnaires were among five Hungarians and a Slovakian who received jail terms of up to six months for the latest violence to hit Euro 2016.
The public prosecutor in the southern French city of Nice, meanwhile, ruled that 11 Spanish fans arrested prior to Friday last week’s win by Spain over Turkey in Nice should be expelled.
Photo: Reuters
Six Spanish police working alongside their French counterparts identified the 11, some of whom bore tattoed portraits of Hitler, Goebbels and Nazi insignia, as troublemakers.
Four of the group are accused of stealing from and assaulting a supermarket owner in Nice after he refused to sell them alcohol before the game, in line with a tournament ban.
Their expulsion came as two Hungarian Foreign Legion members were found guilty of offensive acts against police during unrest at the Stade Velodrome in Marseille before Hungary’s game against Iceland on Saturday.
They were given suspended two-month jail terms.
The two were drunk and said to have spat on police struggling to hold back Hungarian fans who crossed security barriers to get into the same section of the stadium as Iceland fans, forcing riot police to intervene.
A 25-year-old Hungarian filmed taking part in attacks on police during the brawl was given a six-month custodial sentence.
A fourth Hungarian caught in Marseille city center with a bag containing flares, a ski mask and a gum shield was given a suspended 15-day jail term.
Prosecutor Olivier Sabine called it “the perfect hooligan kit.”
A Hungarian and a Slovakian who tried to smuggle flares into the stadium were also given suspended 15-day sentences.
Meanwhile, a French-Albanian man who hid a flare in his rectum to smuggle it into a fan zone was also due to appear in court in Nice.
Two people were hurt when the flare was set off, prosecutors said.
Pat-down searches at the Nice fan zone before Wednesday last week’s match between France and Albania failed to find the 18cm by 4cm flare, which was reportedly hidden in a condom.
The 18-year-old set off the flare in the fan zone causing burns to two people as well as himself, prosecutors said.
An Albanian was charged over a knife fight in the fan zone in Lyon on the same night in which two people were injured, prosecutors said.
OUT AGAINST INDONESIA: Taiwan reached the semi-finals at the tournament for the first time by defeating Denmark, with Chou Tien-chen beating Viktor Axelsen Taiwan yesterday crashed out of the Thomas Cup team competition in Chengdu, China, but achieved their best result at the top-tier badminton event by reaching the semi-finals. Indonesia were too good in the semis, winning 3-0 to advance to today’s final against China, who eliminated Malaysia 3-1. In the opening singles of the men’s team clash at the Hi-Tech Zone Sports Center Gymnasium 2, Anthony Ginting defeated Taiwan’s Chou Tien-chen 21-18, 21-19 in 51 minutes, which put a huge hole in Taiwan’s aspirations to perhaps even make the final. In the men’s doubles, Fajar Alfian and Muhammad Ardianto downed Lee Yang and Wang
NO DOUBT: Spurs star Wembanyama was unanimously selected as NBA Rookie of the Year, winning all 99 votes to become the first Frenchman to capture the honor The Minnesota Timberwolves on Monday night produced a dominant defensive display to seize a commanding 2-0 lead in their best-of-seven playoff series against the Denver Nuggets with a 106-80 road victory. The third-seeded Timberwolves harassed Denver relentlessly to claim a second straight win over the NBA champions as the series heads back to Minneapolis for Game 3 on Friday. Karl-Anthony Towns and Anthony Edwards scored 27 points apiece, but the star of the show was Minnesota’s suffocating defensive effort, which knocked Denver out of their stride almost from the tip-off. The Timberwolves finished with 11 steals and 12 blocks, in sharp contrast to
Top-ranked Iga Swiatek on Saturday came through “the most intense and crazy final” she has ever contested to avenge her loss to Aryna Sabalenka in last year’s Madrid Open final with a grueling three hour, 11 minute victory in the Spanish capital. Coming back from 1-3 down in the decider and saving three match points in total, Swiatek claimed a 7-5, 4-6, 7-6 (9/7) victory to secure the Madrid Open trophy for the first time. “Well, who is going to say now that women’s tennis is boring, right?” Swiatek said. Swiatek, who picked up the 20th title of her career, and ninth at
One of Malaysia’s top soccer clubs has pulled out of today’s season-opening Charity Shield after a spate of assaults, including an acid attack, on players in the country. It leaves the kickoff of Malaysia’s season this weekend under a cloud following the unprecedented acts of violence against players, which have left the country shocked and angry. Authorities said they have imposed tighter security, but Selangor said that they would not play in the showpiece curtain-raiser against Malaysian Super League champions Johor Darul Ta’zim (JDT) citing “a series of criminal incidents and recent threats.” Selangor and Malaysia winger Faisal Halim is in intensive care