Tight security pledged for Galatasaray-Juventus match
Posted: Friday November 20, 1998 03:31 PM
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The match between Turkey and Italy in Istanbul next Wednesday could become a dangerous political event AP |
ANKARA, Turkey (Reuters) -- Turkey's minister for sport on
Friday pledged tight security for next week's Champions' League
match between Galatasaray and Juventus as tensions continue to rise with
Italy over Kurdish rebel chief Abdullah Ocalan.
The Turkish pledge came as Italian politicians called for
the match to be played on neutral territory, while European
soccer's governing body UEFA said it was monitoring the
escalating row.
"We are taking all the precautions. Turkey is not the Wild
West, it is a state of law," Yucel Seckiner, state minister
responsible for sports, told the NTV television news channel.
"There will be precautions before the game, from when they
go from the airport to the hotel, during the game, and after the
game," Seckiner added.
In Rome, Vito Leccese, vice-president of the Italian lower
chamber's foreign affairs commission, told reporters: "I don't
want to be alarmist but I think the match may provoke much
tension which could be avoided."
Forza Italia center-right politician Antonio Leone called
openly for the match to be called off if it could not be
rescheduled elsewhere.
"It could become a dangerous political event. It would be
best to avoid dangerous situations which could put the players
and those accompanying them at risk," he said.
The Turkish and Italian champions were due to meet in
Istanbul next Wednesday in their group B match.
Relations between the two countries have deteriorated since
Italy arrested Kurdish rebel chief Abdullah Ocalan last week.
Turkish prime minister Mesut Yilmaz was applauded in the
Turkish parliament when he said Italy would be an accomplice to
terrorism if it failed to hand over Ocalan.
UEFA said the match would proceed only if it could be played
in accordance with its regulations regarding security and
safety.
"This is not the first time we have faced such a
situation," said UEFA general secretary Gerhard Aigner.
"We will follow developments closely and, as usual,
consider all matters in order to take a fair decision no later
than Monday."
Juventus were reported to be extremely concerned about the
prospect of playing in Istanbul.
The Turin-based club said it had asked for charter flights
taking fans to the match to be cancelled and had withdrawn
Italian tickets for the game.
"We're doing all we can to ensure that the team doesn't
meet with any problems," a club spokesman said.
Juventus coach Marcello Lippi said he was monitoring the
situation but trusted UEFA to make a correct decision.
"I'm convinced that the situation is in the hands of
intelligent and responsible people who aren't going to put our
lives at risk," he said.
Copyright 2003 Reuters Limited. All rights reserved.
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