Kort før første halvlegs slutning, i 1/2 finalekampen mellem Danmark-Rusland lørdag den 13. december 1997, blev 2 danske tilskuere stukket ned af en tysk tilskuer. Begge døde af stikkene.
I aftes, kl. 23.30, blev der afholdt et pressemøde.
Alle er i dyb chok, og dette VM, der skulle være guldrandet for Danmark, er nu blevet sortrandet.
Her kommer de officielle pressemeddelelser:
13.12.97:
Bernd Steinhauser, Præsident for DHB - det tyske håndboldforbund:
"This is a very difficult moment for us. Today the worst has happened that can happen at a sports event. Two Danish fans have been injured, both have died. The criminal investigation department has asked us not to speculate. The suspect has been arrested, the police is investigating.
We want to apologize to all Danish fans and our Danish friends that we were unable to guarantee their safety although we took all the measures usual at such events. Today that was not sufficient. We are under shock ourselves and will discuss further steps and possibilities tonight".
[Det er så det tidligere omtalte pressemøde, der henvises til.]
13.12.97:
Officiel udtalelse fra EHF og IHF - det Europæiske- og det Internationale
håndboldforbund:
"During the second semi-final of the World Championship between Denmark and Russia on Saturday night two Danish fans have been injured. Both a 34-year-old and a 39-year-old, were fatally wounded. This tragic incident caused the international Handball Federation IHF and the German Handball Federation DHB to call a meeting with the heads of delegations of all eight nations still participating in the World Championship. Due to this discussion and the findings of the security company and the police and after a meeting with the Police President of Berlin, Hagen Saberschinsky, the organizing committee has decided the following:
1st
On the unanimous decision of all teams the World Championship will
be continued on Sunday
2nd
The security and safety measures will be increased. Before entering
the arena, each individual spectator will be checked by a detector. No
alcohol will be sold in the arena. No music will be played.
3rd
All teams will play with a black bandage. A minute of silence will
be held before each match.
4th
The victory ceremony will be reduced to the necessary.
5th
All other scheduled festivities and the closing banquet have been cancelled.
All teams, officials and representatives have once again expressed their deep shock about the event at Max Schmelling Arena. The deed overshadows the great atmosphere that marked the World Championship for two weeks and which was destroyed by the tragic event".
[Hvis Danmark havde besluttet ikke at ville spille søndag, havde de øvrige nationer heller ikke gjort det. Og endda var arrangørerne indstillede på at aflyse resten af turneringen!]
14.12.97:
The Police President of Berlin Landesschutzpolizeiamt:
"Press release - concerning the manslaughter of two Danish spectators at the Handball Worlds at the Max Schmeling Arena.
Shortly after 19:00 hours on December 13, 1997, a quarrel breaks out between two Danish spectators and a German spectator during the Womens World Championship at Max Schmeling Arena. The 48-year-old Jürgen S., from Berlin-Kreuzberg, the 34-year-old Claus Michael W.N. and 39-year-old Henning B.L. from Denmark are involved in the quarrel.
According to the evidence of witnesses, the suspect provokes a quarrel without any reason, in which he violently clashes with the others and shortly afterwards grebs his knife. The victim Claus Michael W.N. is stabbed twice, the stab into the troat region is fatal. Henning B.L. succeeds in throwing the suspect on the floor. Almost lying on the suspect, Henning B.L. receives four stabs. One stab into the heart region is fatal. The weapon involved was a jack-knife with a blade length of less than 10 cm. The suspect is being arrested on the spot by security guards. S. is a lone operator. The victims as well as the suspect were under the strong influence of alcohol at the time of the offence. The suspect agrees to a responsible interrogation, but declares not to be able to remember anything about he details and order of events due to the amount of alcohol taken. He does not deny the offence. The suspect calls himself a habitual drinker. He is unemployed. The investigations have at present not proven a motif of hostility to foreigners. And there are no clues or hints of such tendencies.
S. will be brought before the investigation magistrate for an arrest warrant for manslaughter".
14.12.97:
Ingrid Stahmer, Berlin Senator for Education, Youth and Sports spontaneously
came to the Max Schmeling Arena on Sunday morning after the assasination
to express her support and sympathy. "Sport must overcome the violence
in out society" said Ingrid Stahmer, who also attended the matches of the
handball Worlds on Saturday.