Measures against violence at sports events

To keep violent troublemakers and hooligans away from sport stadiums and their surroundings, the official security forces in Switzerland have adopted the following means since the beginning of 2007: exclusion orders, travel bans, obligation to report at the police station at regular intervals, and police custody for up to 24 hours. Data on persons subject to any such measure may be collected in an electronic information system called HOOGAN.

The appropriate cantonal and city police authorities may impose exclusion orders, exit restrictions, and police custody on individuals who have behaved violently at sport events. Exit restrictions can be imposed by the Federal Office of Police (fedpol) only. The cantons and the Swiss Central Office on Hooliganism (COH) may apply to fedpol for travel bans to be imposed. The COH, founded in 1998 by the Conference of the Cantonal Police Commanders of Switzerland, is affiliated to the Zurich Metropolitan Police.

Sports associations and event organizers continue to take measures of their own, imposing private-law sanctions against troublemakers, such as stadium bans.