Organizers have promised that entry to Boston Stadium for Scotland's clash with Morocco will be smoother after thousands of fans faced 'crush conditions' before the Haiti game last weekend. The Record reported on frustrated supporters stuck outside the stadium, with booing and chants of 'you don't know what you're doing' heard. Fans also faced delays leaving after Norway's 4-1 win over Iraq earlier this week.
Adjustments Made
Fears that the Morocco game, kicking off at 6pm local time during rush hour, could lead to more chaos prompted action. FIFA's host committee in Boston told the BBC that 'a number of minor adjustments' had been made to improve crowd movement around the stadium. A spokesperson said: 'As is common at major international sporting events, operational procedures are continually adjusted throughout a tournament. While a small number of supporters experienced wait times that were longer than optimal, the stadium was at capacity by kick-off, with the vast majority of supporters in their seats for the start of the match.'
Police Liaison
The BBC also understands that Police Scotland has four liaison officers with fans in the US, who provided feedback to organizers after the Haiti game. Tartan Army veteran Paul Smith, 63, described the queues as 'dangerous' and creating 'crush' conditions. He told the Record: 'I was at gate two, with everybody crushing and you didn't seem to be going anywhere. I was there for 45 minutes and the crowd was getting really restless. Folk were shouting 'Let us in, let us in' and eventually they must have thought 'This isn't going to work'. It was a severe danger. Folk were getting so frustrated they were starting to push and jostle and shove. Everybody was just funnelling into this one gate. When they eventually decided to just open the gates, everybody just flooded in and bypassed security and made their way around the stadium.'
