Argentina hand hooligan list to South Africans

The Argentine government said on Wednesday it has handed its South African counterparts a list of 800 football hooligans ahead of the World Cup finals.

“We have no interest in seeing these people travel to the finals,” cabinet head Anibal Fernandez told Argentine television, amid reports that some 30 known troublemakers, dubbed ‘barrabravas’, had travelled to South Africa along with the team last Saturday.

Fernandez insisted that “any citizen can travel freely” to the event but revealed the government move to share the information on known individuals.

Coach Diego Maradona said at a news conference on Tuesday in Pretoria that he was not aware of any ‘barrabravas’ having travelled to South Africa on the plane carrying the team.

Argentine media reports had earlier suggested some fans with links to violence had been given financial aid via official channels to help them make the long journey from South America.

Ole sports daily reported a 235-strong group of hooligans was on its way to Pretoria.

Argentine domestic football has a history of violence with 241 football-related deaths officially registered since 1924, according to the non-governmental organisation Salvemos al Fútbol (Let’s Save Football).

Maradona’s men will face South Korea, Greece and Nigeria in the tournament’s group phase, which begins on June 11.