SPLIT SPLIT, May 3 (Hina) - About 100 persons were arrested and over 100 have been lightly injured in the events following the first leg of the Croatian Cup final between rivals Dinamo Zagreb and Hajduk Split which took place in the
southern Croatian city of Split Tuesday evening.
SPLIT, May 3 (Hina) - About 100 persons were arrested and over 100
have been lightly injured in the events following the first leg of
the Croatian Cup final between rivals Dinamo Zagreb and Hajduk
Split which took place in the southern Croatian city of Split
Tuesday evening.#L#
Police released tear-gas and caused the first leg of the Croatian
Cup final to be abandoned.
Hajduk were leading 2-0 when police decided to take control of a
harsh situation caused by two groups of fans -- Hajduk's "Torcida"
and Dinamo's "Bad Blue Boys", who had been provoking the police for
much of the first half of the game.
The situation reached crisis point a few minutes from time when a
group of Torcida fans managed to break heavy police security and
were about to launch into the Bad Blue Boys.
Doctor on duty in Split's emergency room, Sanda Stojanovic told
Hina Wednesday morning, that apart from fans, also treated were
several injured police officers.
Late Tuesday evening Spilt police reported that 89 persons were
arrested before the match for disturbing public peace and order,
and another 9 persons have been arrested after.
In the 86th minute of the game, police were forced to release tear-
gas. Several groups continued with the hooliganism in downtown
Split and vandalised several police and civil vehicles, as well as
windows on shops, read the police statement.
Official delegate of the Croatian Soccer Federation Milan Malovic
said afterwards that during the first half, the game was on the edge
of an incident. He added that in the second half the police were
forced to use the tear gas to prevent the fans from clashing and
invading the pitch.
Malovic stressed the Croatian Football Federation Executive Board
would pass a final decision on the destiny of this ill-tempered
game.
President of the Croatian FA Vlatko Markovic said: "This is a
tragedy for Croatian soccer" and called an urgent meeting of the
FA's Executive board for Thursday.
Before the game, the Croatian Television aired a protest after a
television journalist Drago Cosic was attacked by an angry fan at
the stadium, however, the television decided to go through with the
broadcast.
It was the second time this year that Torcida had caused a game to be
abandoned.
Hajduk fans interrupted a premier league match against Sibenik, 10
minutes from time, with Hajduk loosing to Sibenik 2-1.
The game was later awarded 3-0 to Sibenik -- without any additional
punishment for Hajduk.
Dinamo has secured their fifth title with a 10-point lead over
Hajduk with three rounds to play in the premier league.
If Dinamo win both league and cup title, it would be their fourth
double in five years.
The second leg of the final is scheduled for May 16.
(hina) it