Leeds thugs made to surrender passports in Euro 2012 crackdown

About 100 Leeds fans with football banning orders will have to hand over their passport to the UK authorities during the competition, which runs from June 8 to July 1 in the Ukraine and Poland.

In total, about 2,500 supporters of all UK clubs have banning orders, according to the Home Office, which introduced a similar travel restriction for the World Cup in South Africa two years ago.

Crime Prevention Minister Lord Henley said: “Football hooliganism once blighted our national game but now the UK is the world leader in preventing football violence.

“We are determined to ensure that our football fans’ reputation for good behaviour continues and we will use all our powers to ensure those thugs intent on violence will not be allowed to travel to Ukraine and Poland for the duration of Euro 2012.”

Leeds has the second highest number of banning orders in England and Wales, behind Cardiff City with 143. Other clubs with large numbers of fans subject to orders included Chelsea and Manchester United .

Banning orders are issued by the courts to people convicted of football-related offences and can last between three and 10 years.