German watchdog warns World Cup venues unsafe

0 Comments | AFP, January, 2006

BERLIN (AFP) — German consumer protection watchdog Stiftung Warentest has warned of "serious deficiencies" in security at four of the 12 stadiums to be used during the football World Cup finals starting in June.

The independent group released a study Tuesday showing that the Olympic Stadium in Berlin, the Veltins Arena in the western city of Gelsenkirchen and Leipzig's Zentralstadion in eastern Germany were ill-equipped to cope with a stampede.

The study, presented at a news conference by one of its authors, Hubertus Primus, found that there was no plan to allow fans to enter the pitch in case of a mass panic.

"When there is a panic, the crowd keeps moving without thinking," Primus said.

The group identified a fourth stadium -- Fritz Walter in the...