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Australian police want ban on Mexican Wave
AFP
January 18 1998
SYDNEY, Jan 18 (AFP) - It is the rallying leap of sports fans worldwide
but
Australian police want it banned at cricket matches -- the Mexican Wave
may be
fun, they said Monday, but it is a threat to spectators and players.
The pronouncement from police came just days after rowdy fans at the
Melbourne Cricket Ground threw bottles and golf balls at players in a
disgraceful display that brought play to a halt.
Police said the Melbourne fans responsible for the disturbance during
the
Australia-England one-dayer had been driven into a frenzy by the Mexican
Wave,
which often involves the throwing of bottles, cans and rubbish into the
air.
The officer in charge of police at the Sydney Cricket Ground,
Superintendent Gary Hodson, said his officers ejected several people from
Sunday's
Australia-England one-day match for repeatedly starting the wave.
``Unfortunately we must stop the wave to stop people throwing objects in
the
air,'' Hodson said. ``My message to cricket fans is 'don't participate in
the
wave, it could cause injury to another person which we do not want to
occur'.''
Police made five arrests, issued 19 infringement notices and ejected 79
people from the grounds during Sunday's match, Hodson said.
But for the crowd size, estimated around 43,000, the number of
incidents was
fewer than normal, he said.
``For the most part the crowd behaviour was excellent. They tolerated a
few fools around them and when they complained to the police security
action
was
taken to remove those people so the majority of people could enjoy a day
at the
cricket,'' he said.
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