"Referencing concerns about this year's World Cup in north America and criticism in the build-up to Qatar 2022, Infantino said: "For the first time in history, also, no Brit was arrested during a World Cup." To laughter at the World Economic Forum in Switzerland, he added: "Imagine. This is something really, really special." Understandably the comments angered the Football Supporters' Association, which accused Infantino of making "cheap jokes" about England fans."
"At the 2002 World Cup, England played all five of their matches in Japan. There was only one arrest for violence or public disorder among the 8,000 supporters who flew to Asia. In Germany for the 2006 World Cup an estimated 350,000 watched games in stadia and at fan parks. Yet there were just 21 arrests for football-related offences."
A high-profile claim that no British fans were arrested at a recent World Cup provoked anger among supporters and the Football Supporters' Association. The term "Brits" risked offending fans from Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. Efforts have been made to repair England's reputation after Euro 2000 and a long history of hooliganism. World Cup records show low arrest numbers at several tournaments: one arrest among about 8,000 England supporters in Japan 2002, and just 21 football-related arrests among an estimated 350,000 attendees in Germany 2006. Some matches produced concentrated spikes in arrests, notably Germany v Poland.
Read at www.bbc.com
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