http://www.news.com.au/story/0,23599,23060432-2,00.html
TENNIS hooligans, CRICKET hooligans, when will it end? Maybe they should just BAN ALL SPORT.
http://youtube.com/watch?v=cZdt3AL8aK8
CRICKET have been warned against engaging in racial abuse or loutish behaviour at today's third Test in Perth.
The warning came as ugly racial tensions exploded at the Australian Open tennis championships in Melbourne last night, with police forced to use capsicum spray after Greek and Chilean fans clashed during a match.
As the Australian Open experienced its second night of trouble in as many days, cricket organisers last night warned fans bad behaviour during the Perth Test would be severely dealt with.
While the previously warring teams appear to have called a truce, concernsremain over the possibility of trouble in the crowd fired up by high temperatures and last week's high emotions.
Talk of monkey-suited mischief-makers - a reference to Indian spinner Harbhajan Singh's alleged taunting of Andrew Symonds during the second Test - have been rife in Perth since the tourists arrived on Sunday.
WACA chief executive Graeme Wood and police Superintendent Duane Bell said yesterday they were not expecting trouble, humorous or otherwise.
"We have been working with Cricket Australia since October ... to make sure we have the security staff, the police presence and the CCTV to ensure patrons do enjoy the day,'' Mr Wood said.
"We think we have adequate measures in place, if there are any issues we will certainly be there to cover it.
"We would love to see as many Australian and Indian flags out there as we can but anything that is offensive will not be allowed in.''
Supt Bell said a large police contingent, which had been briefed on cultural sensitivities, would be at the game.
"We're expecting that the crowd will be coming along to see a good cricket match but having said that, our security overlay does involve a response for any racial vilification,'' he said.
''Banners with racist slogans and any of those sorts of items will be seized by security staff at the gate and will not be allowed into the venue.''
There is a history of racial barbs from the WACA crowd.
Members of the touring South African side claimed they were subjected to racial slurs during the 2005/06 season.
Ashwell Prince, Garnett Kruger, Shaun Pollock, Justin Kemp and Makhaya Ntini all said they had been abused, with Ntini claiming he had been called "kaffir''.
Australian captain Ricky Ponting and ICC boss Malcolm Speed both condemned the actions at the time.
TENNIS hooligans, CRICKET hooligans, when will it end? Maybe they should just BAN ALL SPORT.
http://youtube.com/watch?v=cZdt3AL8aK8