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Video cameras to catch foul-mouthed soccer fans
2007-08-03 02:23:16 Shanghai Daily

BEIJING, Aug. 3 -- Beijing police will use video cameras to catch spectators shouting dirty words during a friendly soccer match between Guo'an and star-studded Barcelona.

Each stand will be monitored by a police officer holding a video camera, Beijing News reported today.

Football fans using dirty words to humiliate rival players or referees will be the major targets in wake of similar cases early this year.

Those who severely violate the rules will be taken into custody, police said. The report wasn't clear about how enforcement would take place.

Abusive fans will also be penalized and banned from attending soccer matches in Beijing's stadiums for 12 months.

Police last month cracked down on Jing Ma Club after its members openly insulted referees and opposing team players at home games in Fengtai Football Stadium.

The head of the Jing Ma fan club has been detained.

About 30,000 tickets are available for Sunday's friendly between Guo'an and visiting Barcelona, which features star players such as Ronaldinho and Lilian Thuram, said the organizer.

"We put up 2.2-meter-high guardrails to separate the stands and the field," the organizer told the newspaper. "It will be a terrible thing if this many fans begin shouting swear words at the same time."

Officials also want to improve the behavior of fans prior to next summer's Beijing Olympics.

"Clean up your act" is the message Beijing people have received as about 550,000 foreigners are expected to visit the city during the Olympics, joined by 22,000 journalists.

"There will be four billion eyes on China," Liu Qi, head of the organizing committee for the Beijing Olympics, was quoted as saying at a pep rally last week. He was referring to the expected worldwide TV audience.

"Everyone should be a good fan when watching the events," he told the newspaper. "Our audiences must be friendly and professional."

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