World Notes Violence

English soccer teams were under virtual quarantine last week in the wake of the Brussels rampage by Liverpool fans that left 38 dead, most of them Italian followers of Juventus, a team from Turin. First the Union of European Football Associations banned all English clubs from playing in European championship tournaments for "an indefinite period." Then the International Football Federation excluded English professional teams from international competition. England's national team was exempted, however, enabling it to remain in World Cup competition. English soccer officials called the global ban excessive.

British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher announced her own plans to curb soccer violence. She said she will introduce legislation to outlaw the sale or possession of alcohol in soccer stadiums and on trains and buses that carry fans to games. In Liverpool last week police were examining videotapes of the tragic Brussels game to identify rioters who may face extradition to Belgium. A Liverpool delegation will also visit Turin next week in an attempt at reconciliation with a city where anti-British feeling has been intense in recent days.