Connect with us

Sports

Euro 2016 fan zones in spotlight as France finalises huge security operation

Published

8 years ago

on

Fans were leaving Lyon’s football stadium after a mock Northern Ireland-Ukraine match, when two fake suicide-bombers pretended to blow themselves up in the crowd. Volunteers posing as fans played dead, dozens more were injured, and the crowd panicked and charged. Police rushed to secure the area while paramedics treated victims oozing fake blood.

This simulated disaster scene last week was one of at least 30 doomsday scenarios staged by police and emergency services across France in the run-up to the Euro 2016 football tournament, which begins on 10 June. As France prepares to host more than 2.5 million ticketholders and millions more fans across 10 cities in one of Europe’s biggest events, the government is planning the heaviest sports security operation in recent history.

Just over six months after the Paris terrorist attacks killed 130 people at restaurants, a rock concert and the national stadium, President François Hollande said terrorism remains the biggest threat to the event despite strikes and protests against his proposed new labour laws.

Possible disaster scenarios rehearsed over the past two months have ranged from suicide bombs, to a staged chemical and biological gas attack on revellers in a football fan zone, where over 1,000 police trainees in Nîmes played the part of supporters watching a match on a giant screen hit by a mysterious gas, and then caught in a stampeding crowd. Security services in gas masks and protective suits rehearsed decontamination.

“We are doing everything to avoid a terrorist attack, and we’re preparing to react to one,” the interior minister, Bernard Cazeneuve, said. But the exact nature of any risk to the Euro tournament, other than the general terrorist threat that still weighs on France, remains unclear. The country suffered three major attacks last year – before the November atrocities came January’s attacks on Charlie Hebdo magazine and a kosher grocery store.

Officials say there is an ongoing general threat to France — which is seen by its head of internal intelligence as the country most under target from jihadi terrorism — but there are no known specific plans to target the Euro 2016 event itself. The tournament is taking place under “a very high level of threat and yet no precise project has been detected,” Michel Delpuech, the prefect in charge of policing in Lyon, said during one of the disaster practice runs.

Related Topics:
Advertisement
Click to comment

You must be logged in to post a comment Login

Leave a Reply

Sports

Catch of the century: Steve Smith takes a superb diving catch to dismiss Hardik Pandya in 2nd ODI – watch

Steve Smith took a one-handed stunner to send back Hardik Pandya in the 2nd ODI in Vizag. The Australia captain dived towards his right and held on to the ball to complete the catch. The commentators were in all awe of the captain as he completed the catch.

Published

1 year ago

on

March 19, 2023

By

Steve Smith once again showed his fielding skills and took a one-handed screamer to dismiss Hardik Pandya in the 2nd ODI in Vizag. The Australian captain was standing at the first slip while the ball flew towards the second slip. Smith put in everything he had and dived to his right to grab the one-handed stunner.

The commentators were in all awe of Smith’s effort and Sanjay Manjrekar called it the catch of the century. Smith’s diving effort saw Pandya walking back for a mere score of 1.

India are struggling for every run in the fixture and have lost half of their side inside the first 10 overs. Shubman Gill, who is enjoying a dream run in 2023, failed to open his account and departed for a two-ball duck.

Back in the playing XI after taking a rest from the first ODI, Rohit Sharma also disappointed and managed to score 13 off 15. The India captain replaced Ishan Kishan in the playing XI. Suryakumar Yadav disappointed once again and departed for a one-ball duck.

The number 4 batsman was once again dismissed by Mitchell Starc. After Suryakumar’s dismissal, much was expected from vice-captain Pandya but his innings came to an end early.
Ravindra Jadeja has joined Virat Kohli in the middle and the duo has added more than 20 runs for the sixth wicket. The onus is on Kohli to play a big knock and propel India to a defendable total. Much will also depend on in-form Jadeja, who remained unbeaten on 45 in the first ODI and scalped 2 wickets to win the Player of the Match award.

Continue Reading

Sports

Watch: Messi’s extraordinary goal that sent Argentina into FIFA World Cup quarters, leaves behind Maradona and Ronaldo

Published

1 year ago

on

December 4, 2022

By

Lionel Messi marked his 1000th career appearance with a typically extraordinary goal that helped Argentina beat Australia 2-1 in the 2022 FIFA World Cup round of 16 tie at the Ahmed Bin Ali Stadium in Qatar and took the two-time champions to the quarterfinals. With the goal, Messi left behind Argentine football legend Diego Maradona and his arch-rival Cristiano Ronaldo to achieve a sensational feat.

Argentina’s first goal came in the 34th minute of the game when Messi worked his magic with his famous left foot to curl in a low one through the defenders and past the goalkeeper. It was Messi’s ninth goal in his World Cup career and a very first in the knockout stage.

With the goal, Messi went past Maradona and Guillermo Stábile to become the second-highest goal scorer for Argentina in FIFA World Cup. His tally of nine goals now only stands behind former Argentina captain Gabriel Batistuta, who scored 10 goals in his World Cup career.

Overall, he stands second among active footballers in the list of most World Cup goals scored, after Germany’s Thomas Mueller (10) and one ahead of Portugal superstar Cristiano Ronaldo (9).

Messi also levelled Ronaldo in terms of most goals scored in major tournaments. 13 of Messi’s 22 such goals came in Copa America. However, he is the only one between the two to have a goal in the FIFA World Cup knockouts.

Argentina eventually won 2-1 in the match against Australia. Julian Alvarez scored the second goal while Australia pulled one back off an own goal. La Albiceleste will now take on Netherlands, who beat USA 3-1 in the first round of 16 tie on Saturday, in the quarterfinal next week.

Continue Reading

Sports

DOJO De Succoro wins accolades at NBSII Goa Championship

Published

2 years ago

on

June 13, 2022

By

Porvorim: DOJO De Succoro Porvorim participated in NBSII Goa Kata championship held at Mapusa on May 29.

The participants were guided by Head Chief Renshi Nityanand Juvekar and Instructor Sensei Shashi Sahani.

Winners of the competition are: Sanika Satardekar, Sampurn Satardekar, Satvik Toraskar, Sneha Bhandari, Mishka Vipin, Surabhi Polai, Suraj Polai, Vaishnavi Singh, Anshuman Singh, Kunal Yadav, Shaurya Shet Dessai, Kusum Nanavare and Riyansh Gosavi. (GoaNewsHub)

Continue Reading
Advertisement

Trending