Fear Of Islamist Attack Overshadow Euro 2016 As Countdown Launched
by
Wcbm
France is launching the final countdown to the European Championship finals where the star appeal of Cristiano Ronaldo and Zlatan Ibrahimovic risks being overshadowed by fears of a terrorist attack.
Troops and extra police have been patrolling the streets of Paris and other major cities since the November 13 attacks in the French capital that left 130 dead.
Chief organiser Jacques Lambert told AFP it was inevitable that Euro 2016 would be “a target” for militants but also insisted that it must be “a breath of fresh air” for a public weary of security threats.
France was chosen in 2010 to host the event, that for the first time will feature 24 teams including world champions Germany and Belgium, Spain, Portugal and England also from the top 10 in the FIFA world rankings.
The presence of Portugal’s Ronaldo, Ibrahimovic with Sweden, Thomas Mueller with Germany, Wales’ Gareth Bale and Andres Iniesta with Spain has helped sell all but about 20,000 tickets of the 2.5 million tickets for the 51 games.
