TOKYO, July 20 - Japan's Urawa Reds are trying to
repair Saitama Stadium's image as an intimidating and
potentially dangerous place for rivals fans to visit.
The club was fined a Japanese record $185,000 last year
following violent clashes between fans after a J-League match
against Gamba Osaka.
Faced with dwindling numbers of away fans, Japan's
best-supported club has launched a charm offensive to make
their home ground a more welcoming place.
"Saitama Stadium has a bit of an image for being a
frightening place," Reds president Mitsuo Hashimoto told
Monday's Sports Nippon daily. "We want to make it more
friendly."
Urawa have put up welcome banners for away fans at the
nearest railway station while new measures will include showing
highlights of their opponents' games on the stadium's screen.
In May last year, Urawa's 2002 World Cup stadium witnessed
arguably the worst incident of crowd violence since the
J-League was launched in 1993.
Riot police were mobilised as fans tore down safety fences
and ripped up seats while some 5,000 angry Reds fans blocked
off the exit for visiting Gamba fans after the away side's 3-2
win.
Missiles were hurled and Reds fans smashed through security
fencing to get at the Gamba supporters. Security officials
rushed to intervene but not before one home fan toppled over
the edge of the stands, breaking a foot.
Around 1,000 Gamba fans spent three hours penned into the
ground before being evacuated by police cars and vans once the
Urawa fans had been dispersed.
(Reporting by Alastair Himmer. Editing by John O'Brien; To
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sportsfeedback@thomsonreuters.com)