Euro 16 Football Competition Could Be Target for Terrorists

Euro 16 competition is to be hosted by France from 10^th June and the US security agency has already warned that the tournament could be a target for the terrorists.

Euro Tournament

Euro tournament is organized every four years. In the upcoming Euro tournament, 24 nations have qualified to contest. The number of participants has been increased to 24 from 16. The participating teams will be divided into six groups and two from each group will qualify for the knockout round. Sports tourism is on rise and it is expected that a larger number of football-crazy fans will reach France to enjoy the tournament. The passionate fans from neighboring as well as participating countries as well as other nations are supposed to visit France on the event of the grand football gala of Europe.

Spain is taking part in the tournament as a two-time defending champs.

Possibility of Terrorist Attack

The competition will be held for one month, attracting a larger number of sports-loving tourists from all over the globe. France will be hosting the event after beating other two bidders Turkey and Italy to be named as the country to organize the biggest European football ceremony. The country is hosting the event for the third time in the history of European championship. The matches will be hosted at 10 stadiums across 10 cities of France. More than 90,000 security staff including soldiers, police and private agents will be deployed all over the country for monitoring every activity in and around the stadium.

Paris, the capital city of France, has already been under threat from the militants following simultaneous assault on concert hall, stadium, bars and restaurants earlier this year. The gruesome attack caused death to 130 people and left many more seriously injured. Neighboring country Belgium had suicide blasts at Brussels Airport as well as a metro station in March and it left 32 people dead. ISIS claimed responsibility for attacks in both Paris and Brussels. Nearly 1 million foreign fans are supposed to arrive in France to watch the tournament that will be contested by Europe’s best national teams.

The US State Department has warned its France visiting citizens about the dangers of possible terrorist attacks along the length and breadth of Europe.

What is new about US terror warning?

The US terror department routinely issues travel alerts worldwide but they are doing it only for the third time in two decades for Europe. According to America, the terrorists could strike at famous tourist destinations, commercial sites, public places including restaurants. However, this time, the Euro 16 event is believed to be a target for the terrorists.

Some experts have said that it is nothing but a routine alert, especially for those places that were previously targeted by the terrorists. The Foreign Office in the United Kingdom has issued a warning of high-level terrorist attacks in France. The country has extended its state of emergency to include every tournament. France also has a plan of anti-drone technology deployment as a part of their extensive precaution.

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