| M | T | W | T | F | S | S |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 30 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 |
| 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 |
| 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 |
| 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 |
| 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | 1 | 2 | 3 |
Today
Polls
RSS Feed Sports20. 11. 09. - 16:00
Bengal fireworks banned from stadiums
By Thomas Hochwarter
Austrian football fans face huge fines under new laws banning fireworks at stadiums.
Parliament yesterday (Thurs) passed legislation outlawing Bengal fireworks from major sports events and punishing offenders with fines of thousands of Euros.
People’s Party’s (ÖVP) Interior Minister Maria Fekter said the law was an important step in protecting fans. "Two thousand degrees centigrade can backfire," she said, warning people could suffer serious burns for fireworks.
ÖVP security spokesman Günther Kößl said there had been 300 reported incidents with the fireworks at stadiums last month alone - many involving injuries.
Social Democrat (SPÖ) MP Otto Pendl said his party – which forms a coalition with the ÖVP – backed the new law.
"It was about time to laws from 25 years ago were adapted to the world today."
Pendl said critics of the law had no concern for public safety, adding it was important parents can go to matches with their children without fear of injury.
But all three opposition parties represented in the Austrian parliament - the Freedom Party (FPÖ), the Alliance for the Future of Austria (BZÖ) and the Greens - rejected the law.
The BZÖ claimed it would "criminalise young people". The party’s security spokesman Peter Westenthaler said lighting Bengal fireworks should be allowed "in a controlled way and under certain circumstances."
SPÖ and ÖVP said offenders face fines of up to several thousand Euros but did not give precise figures.
The law also includes a paragraph simplifying the passing on of personal data of offenders in order to ban them from stadiums.
Supporter groups of several Bundesliga clubs have criticised the legislation. They told authorities that "football fans are not criminals".
Austrian Times
Related articles: football
-
Foda farewell prolongs FK Austria coach quest
» Sports 2012-05-24
German second-league team 1. FC Kaiserslautern have presented Franco Foda as their new coach.
-
» Sports 2012-05-23
Manchester United have signalised interest in David Alaba.
-
» Sports 2012-05-22
Red Bull Salzburg (RBS) have won the ÖFB Cup.
Tag cloud:
stadiums spokesman fans offenders fines criminalise Alliance Greens football Bengal security critics Euros laws Parliament Pendl children fireworks legislation Austrian
Coalition accelerates anti-corruption ambitions
The government is intensifying its attempts to pass a transparency package in parliament.
Küng tackles Schüller group
Another top-tier representative of the Austrian Church has warned the Preachers’ Initiative from consequences.
BMW and Porsche seized by bold burglars
Crooks broke into a house and stole the keys to two valuable cars early Thursday morning while the residents were sleeping.
Pecik defends TA engagement
Telekom Austria (TA) investor Ronny Pecik has declared himself a team player.
Lightning strikes two workers
Two construction workers at the new Westbahnhof train station were hospitalised after being struck by lightning.
Mayor land fraud allegations
Prosecutors are investigating the mayor of Innervillgraten in Eastern Tyrol over allegations of irregularities in a sale of land that he authorised to another local council member.
Infra red heating takes off
A new heating system from a Burgenland company that operates with energy-saving, efficient, infra-red light is heating the market up.
Games night hits Vienna
Six Vienna game clubs open their doors tonight for a night full of games including Chess, Go or Tarock. The evening is meant both as a night of playing these games for enthusiasts, as well as learning them for novices.
Silly parkers road rage rampage
A serial bad parker in Graz added resisting arrest and going on the run to his crimes when police went to arrest him for notching up almost 100 parking tickets in the southern city of Graz.
Knoflacher emphasises pedestrian zones' economic effects
A renowned traffic planner has stressed that shop owners are generally appreciating the introduction of pedestrian zones.
The most popular stories –
last 7 days
|
Dune And Busted |
|
Swastika Shaped Austrian School Rebuilt |
|
Nazi still honoured in Austria |
|
20th Vienna Life Ball a fiery success! |
|
Thieves caught trying to nick F**king Sign |
