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World Cup organisers confident of peaceful tournament
JOHANNESBURG (AFP) - Organisers of the 2010 World Cup have expressed confidence that there would be no replay of the deadly crowd violence which has led to a shutdown in Italian football during the finals in South Africa.
Urs Linsi, general secretary of world football´s governing body FIFA, said the tournament had always been "a festival of peace" and there would be close co-operation between South African law enforcement agencies and their foreign counterparts to ensure hoolgans were kept away.
"The event has no place for violence and the 2010 one in South Africa will be no exception," Linsi said after a two-day meeting of senior FIFA officials and members of the 2010 Local Organising Committee (LOC).
"It is important that there be cooperation between nations that will be taking part in the event so that we can have a peaceful event," he told AFP.
"But we trust that the government here and the LOC are also aware of the situations and are learning a few things."
Linsi is a member of the ticketing committee for the finals and FIFA has pursued a policy of trying to keep rival fans well apart during recent tournaments.
All football matches were cancelled in Italy last weekend after a policeman was killed during clashes between fans of Sicilian rivals Catania and Palermo.
France was also the scene of a deadly violence late last year when a supporter of Paris St Germain was killed during clashes with police officers.
Irvin Khoza, chairman of the LOC, said that his team had been working closely with the local police which themselves have extensive experience of dealing with violence between supporters such as fans of Johannesburg´s arch rivals Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates.
"We have contingency plans in place with the help of the SAPS and FIFA is also overseeing the whole plans with regard to security measures," he told AFP.
"FIFA also has an experience of dealing with these kind of incidents," he added.
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