19/02/2010 - Harrods defends footballers move
Harrods has said that it refused entry to Ukrainian footballers into its store for "health and safety" reasons, and did not mean to offend them.
Footballers from the club Shakhtar Donetsk were stopped from going into the Knightsbridge store in central London on Tuesday - just two day's before their Europa League match against Harrod's owner Mohamed al Fayed's team, Fulham.
But a spokeswoman for the store said the move was not intended to offend or upset visitors.
She added: "There are periods, when the store is at its busiest, that Harrods has to take the difficult decision to deny access to tour parties and larger groups of visitors. This is done in the interest of health and safety."
The club said its players, who were wearing squad tracksuits at the time, were told the group was "too big and suspicious".
A statement on the Shaktar Donetsk website read: "The players decided to increase the earnings of one of London's reputable shops - Harrods. The footballers, who have money and are eager to buy a lot, were certain to leave a big sum.
"But staff said the group of customers was too big and suspicious."
Copyright © Press Association 2010
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