Soccer: Russia bans alcohol sales for World Cup broadcast

MOSCOW - Crack Russian police tested anti-riot measures and Moscow authorities banned the sale of alcohol ahead of outdoor screenings of a crunch World Cup match to help prevent a repeat of last weekend's violence.

Russia play Belgium at 10.30 a.m. (1830 NZT) on Friday and must avoid defeat to stay in the championship.

Police announced plans to deploy 2000 officers across Moscow to head off a repetition of Sunday's riots, in which one person was killed and more than 100 were injured after Russia lost 1-0 to Japan.

And Russian television showed OMON police engaged in mock combat with shields and truncheons in what has been dubbed "Operation Turtle". Water cannon were also shown being tested.

"The OMON, of course, is a very special force," Alexander Kopytov, head of the Moscow OMON, told RTR state television.

"We will be in reserve in various places around the city. But we hope that our force will not be used."

Police, quoted by Russian news agencies, said sales of alcohol would be banned near four screens that will show the match. Two sites are within a few minutes of the Kremlin and police sources said patrols would be beefed up around its perimeter walls.

Only soft drinks in plastic bottles would be sold, the agencies said.

Inadequate policing and the sale of beer and vodka during the game have been blamed for Sunday's disturbances in Moscow, a city of more than 10 million.

Belgian embassy officials, quoted by news agencies, said authorities had approved their request for police reinforcements to guard their premises during the match. But they said diplomats did not believe their fellow countrymen faced any serious threat from Russian fans.

The State Duma lower house of parliament examined the aftermath of the debacle in which drunken fans ran amok in the city centre, hurling missiles, setting cars ablaze and smashing shop windows.

But Duma members overwhelmingly rejected proposals to summon powerful Moscow Mayor Yuri Luzhkov or police chief Vladimir Pronin, whose offer to resign after the fracas was turned down.

"I was witness...to the simply breathtaking inactivity of the police from the very beginning," deputy Vladimir Semyonov told the chamber.

"It was clear to people without any professional qualifications that there weren't enough of them."

Luzhkov said on Tuesday the city would proceed with outside broadcasts of the match -- despite deep reservations by police.

Sunday's rioting was the worst violence in Moscow's city centre since tanks were used to put down a rebellion by hardline parliamentarians in 1993.

- REUTERS

nzherald.co.nz/fifaworldcup

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