The ministers from the federal government and the 16 states said at their spring meeting that no progress has been made since the last talks with the DFB and DFL in October, especially concerning stadium bans.

“As federal states, we are in relative agreement that something must happen in the stadiums and that the DFB, DFL and organisers must take more responsibility for stadium security,” Lower Saxony Interior Minister Daniela Behrens said.In October, the ministers had called on the DFB and DFL for a tougher stance and concrete measures.

This was dismissed by football fan groups as a populistic approach.

Behrens said that it could not be tolerated that a small minority of violent fans dominates a match and uses football as an excuse for violence at high risk games such as derbies of second division sides Hanover and Eintracht Braunschweig which recently occurred.

“We don’t allow that in any other area,” Behrens said.

Behrens said the clubs could implement more security technology, cameras and stadium bans for violent fans.

If necessary, they could also reduce the number of tickets for visiting team fans or offer personalised tickets.

“There is a variety of measures which the DFB outlines, but which are not implemented,” Behrens said.

(www.crestnewsonline.ng)