Belgian Attacks English Society

Belgian Interior Minister Charles-Ferdinand Nothomb battled his critics with a stinging attack on English society over the May 29 Brussels European Cup Final soccer riot in which 38 fans died.

In a 40-minute speech at the start of a parliamentary debate on the disaster, Nothomb, under strong pressure to resign over security failures at the Heysel Stadium, blamed almost everyone but himself.

He reserved his harshest words for the British, whom he accused of having long condoned the hooliganism that led to the fatal rampage by Liverpool supporters at the Brussels match with the Italian team Juventus.

“Today, I will speak out severely about the collective responsibility of English society, which tolerates this violence, which accepts it, which tries to channel it without wanting to eliminate it,” he declared, adding:

“A certain number of clubs accept this violence as a part of the sporting spectacle and even of their club’s trademark.”

Nothomb’s attack, making no reference to Britain’s recent tough measures to fight soccer hooliganism, appeared aimed primarily at deflecting criticism of his own performance by the Socialist opposition and many government parliamentarians.

His speech was conspicuously not applauded by the Liberal deputies on the government benches.

On the eve of Arthur Ashe’s enshrinement in the Tennis Hall of Fame, the former Wimbledon and U.S. Open champion said he savored his experience as a black athlete in a white-man’s sport.

“It was always interesting being in my position,” said Ashe, who will be inducted today at Newport, R.I. “I never wanted to be in another sport or not to be in the minority. I always thought the system was wrong, not that it was me.”

Jockey Angel Cordero Jr. suffered stomach bruises from being kicked by a filly before the first race at Belmont Park. He was taken to a hospital for X-rays and later released.

Bowie, a Maryland horse racing track that pioneered winter racing in the East, closes today after 71 years of operation. Bowie will continue to operate as a backup stabling facility for Pimlico and Laurel.

Two years after finding she might have been overcharged on electric bills for about 30 years, Lehoma Paige, the widow of pitching legend Satchel Paige, has settled with Kansas City Power & Light Co. for an undisclosed amount.

The commission found Paige had been charged at a commercial rather than a residential rate. Paige alleged that the overcharges had occurred since 1950, when she moved into the 12-room house with her husband.

Rebecca Twigg, runner-up in the 1984 Olympic woman’s cycling road race, clinched the Ore-Ida Women’s Challenge race by scoring a narrow victory on the Elkhorn circuit near Sun Valley, Ida. Twigg outsprinted Rebecca Daughton and former British Olympian Muriel Sharp for her fifth win in six events.

Birmingham won a three-cornered battle to become Britain’s candidate to hold the 1992 Olympic Games, carrying the vote ahead of London and Manchester at a meeting of the British Olympic Committee. Selection of the host city will be made by the International Olympic Committee in October 1986. Other candidates are Amsterdam, Barcelona, Brisbane, Belgrade, New Delhi, Paris and Anchorage, Alaska.

The Boston Marathon will break tradition in its 90th running and offer prize money at the 1986 race, according to the Boston Globe. The story attributed the information to sources in the Boston Athletic Assn. and in The Athletics Congress, running’s governing body.

Names in the News

Mervyn LeRoy, 84, president of the Hollywood Park board of directors for 34 years, is retiring from that post to become president emeritus of the track.

Washington Redskins veteran safety Mark Murphy, who missed nine games last year with an injured knee and never regained his starting spot, was waived by the club at his request.

Larry McCoy of the American League will be the home-plate umpire for Tuesday night’s All-Star game at Minneapolis.

Gene McEver, 77, an All-American running back at Tennessee in 1928 and 1929, died at his home in Davidson, N.C.

Anders Kallur, a six-year right wing with the New York Islanders, was given his unconditional release.