Straw blamed

UEFA chief executive Gerhard Aigner has attacked the British government for not doing more to prevent hooligans from travelling to Euro 2000.

Aigner confirmed that the controversial Group A clash between England and Germany will go ahead in Charleroi as planned despite fears that the ground could constitute a safety risk.

But he blamed The British Home Secretary Jack Straw for failing to take the necessary steps to minimise the prospect of violence.

"It is regrettable that the government in the United Kingdom has not introduced legislation which would make it possible to stop registered hooligans from travelling," said Aigner.

"Consequently the security forces in the host countries may have to deal with hooligan elements at the venues of the matches, not only in Charleroi but also elsewhere."

UEFA have come under increasing pressure to move the game to Brussels and are aware that if trouble does break out, they will be blamed.

But Aigner claims that at no stage in the buildup to the competition did anyone question Charleroi as a venue until it was too late.

"Over the last three years both UEFA and the organisers together with the authorities in both host countries have carefully prepared the event," he said.

"The stadiums have been checked and given the go-ahead with a safety certificate from the competent authorities before they were proposed as official venues."