He's football crazy, they're effing mad
Friday, May 25, 2007 
I just got a call from the Sunday Post. Klaus Toppmöller, former German international footballer, now coach of Georgia's national team, has been threatened with ejection from the ground if he lights up at St Johnstone's McDiarmid Park (left) when Georgia play their next match in a UEFA U19 tournament. Toppmöller apparently angered the authorities when he repeatedly lit up during Georgia's previous game in the stadium. Although he was sitting in one of the stands (classified as an enclosed public space), I am told that the ground was largely empty and Toppmöller was sitting alone.
Smokers are not only being treated like criminals, I actually believe - in situations like this - that the authorities are taking leave of their senses. Club officials will argue that Toppmöller is breaking the law and both he and the club could be fined. I sympathise, a bit. But surely officials could make the point that threatening someone, in these circumstances, is degrading (for both sides) and utterly pointless?
In a sparsely populated stadium, is there really no room for compromise? Whatever happened to tolerance, discretion and, above all, common sense? Why do we have to stick to the letter of the law when the law is clearly an ass? Why are more people not speaking out? What the hell is going on in this country? Enjoy the bank holiday!
Simon Clark
See story HERE.
Smoking
Reader Comments (1)
disgraceful! He was doing no harm to anyone.