TNT Sports
Blatter to "act tough"
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Published 17/11/2005 at 12:56 GMT
FIFA President Sepp Blatter has condemned the violence that marred Wednesday's World Cup playoff match between Turkey and Switzerland and announced that an inquiry will be held to investigate the incident. Punishment could include anything from a fine to
Eurosport
Image credit: TNT Sports
"I can tell you this, not as a Swiss, but as the president of FIFA that we will act here and we will act tough," Blater told a news conference on Thursday.
"This was anti-fair play. The Turks had the chance after the (first leg) defeat to act as a good host and show that a revenge foul is not done in football."
"It (the inquiry) will show whether we will investigate against Switzerland too," Blatter said.
"At the moment we're just questioning and we're questioning both sides because, of course, the Swiss want to justify themselves after what has happened."
The inquiry will investigate the scenes of violence at the end of Wednesday's second leg tie against Turkey following a formal complaint from the Swiss camp.
Switzerland progressed to the World Cup Finals on Wednesday evening in Istanbul, despite losing 4-2 on the night, on the away goals rule, but the celebrations were cut short as members of both camps clashed on their way off the field and in the tunnel at full time.
As the final whistle sounded, the Swiss team ran for the safety of the dressing room as projectiles rained down on them from Turkish fans unhappy at their team's elimination from World Cup contention.
Swiss coach Kobi Kuhn was hit by coins, leading the visitor's Press Officer, Pierre Benoit, to announce that the incidents would be reported.
But the real trouble flared in the tunnel with television pictures clearly showing Swiss defender Benjamin Huggel aiming a kick at Turkish assistant coach Mehmet Ozdilek in response to a Ozdilek trip on a Swiss player as the teams left the field.
Turkish defender Alpay reacted by directing a kick at goalscorer Marco Streller, lighting the touchpaper to the violence that followed.
Swiss substitute Stephane Grichting, who was not used during the ninety minutes, had to be taken to Istanbul's Acidem Hospital after receiving a blow to the groin.
He required treatment at hospital, and is likely to be out for up to ten days as a result of the blow he received. It is not yet clear who inflicted the damage.
"Stephane Grichting has rejoined the team. Everything is not okay, he has had to have a catheter put in and he will need seven to 10 days (to recover)," Benoit said on Thursday.
As for Huggel's involvement in the ugly scenes, Benoit remained coy.
"We haven't seen the pictures yet, so we're not making any statement," he said.
"In principle, however, we believe Huggel was defending himself after he and Tranquillo Barnetta came under attack."
Earlier Blatter had admitted that the scenes were shocking.
"Something is going wrong. I've never seen anything like it," he said.
"Fair play has been trampled under foot, in the truest sense of the word."
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