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FOOTBALL

‘Please, no fireworks’ at Bundesliga games

Germany's football chief Thursday urged fans to refrain from setting off fireworks at matches after a bomb threat forced the cancellation of a friendly with the Netherlands this week.

'Please, no fireworks' at Bundesliga games
Galatasaray fans let off fireworks during a game against Borussia Dortmund in November 2014. Photo: DPA

“Fireworks are essentially banned anyway because they carry major risks,” Reinhard Rauball, interim president of the German Football Association, told Bild newspaper.

“Using them during the sensitive time that we currently find ourselves in would be the height of irresponsibility.”

Fans of SV Werder Bremen let off fireworks in September 2015 behind a banner reading “This is football”. Photo: DPA

Rauball also said he thought attackers were not targeting football specifically but trying to “get the highest amount of attention possible”.

And he shrugged off fears that Germany's national team could be a target.

“Authorities in charge of security say that there are no such indications. It is very important for us to avoid intentionally or unintentionally sparking fears that play into the hands of terrorists,” he said.

The German team was playing France in Paris last Friday when players and fans were shaken by the blasts of three suicide bombers outside the Stade de France that echoed through the venue.

Head coach Joachim Loew admitted that he and the team had considered dropping a planned friendly with the Netherlands on Tuesday following the attacks, but finally decided to go ahead with the game to send a clear messageof freedom.

However, the game was called off at the last minute as police said there had been serious plans to cause an explosion in the stadium.

Hamburg is meanwhile scheduled to play Borussia Dortmund Friday, the first of the weekend's Bundesliga fixtures after the Hanover bomb scare.

Dortmund fans were involved in massive controvery last November when huge numbers of fireworks were let off during their Champions League clash with Istanabul's Galatasaray.

Bayern Munich, which play host to Olympiakos Piraeus on Tuesday, have said they will tighten security.

“There will be intensive and extensive checks,” said Jan-Christian Dreesen, acting chair of Bayern, who is also in charge of security.

He would not give further details, but asked spectators to expect delays during the admission process at the stadium.

SEE ALSO: Bundesliga goes ahead under tighter security

RACISM

VIDEO: Spain’s La Liga reviews video of boy racially abusing Vinicius

Spain's La Liga on Monday said it was reviewing a video of a child making racist insults towards Real Madrid forward Vinicius Junior during the 2-2 draw with Valencia at the weekend.

VIDEO: Spain's La Liga reviews video of boy racially abusing Vinicius

“We’re in the process of studying and analysing the facts from a legal standpoint to see what we can and should do,” La Liga sources said.

In a video published by a journalist for ESPN Brasil, and picked up by Spanish media, a boy sitting in a woman’s lap can be heard calling Vinicius a “monkey”.

The Brazilian scored twice for Madrid as his team recovered from two goals down at Mestalla on Saturday.

Vinicius raised his fist in a “Black Power” salute after the first of his two goals at a ground where he was racially abused last season. Valencia subsequently banned three people from the stadium for life.

The 23-year-old has become a symbol of the fight against discrimination in Spanish football after suffering racist abuse on many occasions, and he was jeered repeatedly by home supporters on Saturday.

Jude Bellingham was sent off after the final whistle against Valencia for protesting after the referee blew the final whistle right before the England midfielder headed home what he thought was the winning goal.

READ ALSO: Football star Vinicius highlights racist behaviour from Spanish fans

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