6 Oct 2004

Solomon Islands police worry about safety at big soccer match in Honiara

11:35 am on 6 October 2004

Solomon Islands Police Commissioner, William Morrell says safety issues for the up coming football match between Australia and Solomon Islands is a concern.

He says it is a concern because the football match expected to attract 20-thousand people will be the first time the country has had to deal with handling an international football match of such size.

"Because Solomon Islands is not used to managing big football matches and big, big, crowds people think, Oh well, we can just go along there and everything will be alright and the authorities will take care of everything. But unless the authorities think through the issues, then you could have a disaster."

Commissioner Morrell also denied reports in the local media that police had confiscated 8-thousand tickets.

He says the tickets were handed to police by the Football Federation after consultation about the size of the crowd including safety and security issues.

So far more than 15-thousand tickets have been sold.