Beijing is studying how British police deal with football hooliganism as the city draws up plans to stop troublemakers attending events with methods including strict new laws and advanced face-recognition technology, domestic media reported yesterday. Soccer hooligans can be detained for up to 10 days, fined up to 500 yuan and banned from attending matches for 12 months, according to a new law that comes into effect on Wednesday. Police are also building up a database of offenders that will be linked to a sophisticated face-recognition technology. The scanning devices will be installed outside the grounds to help officials identify convicted hooligans. 'The technology is very good so we will be able to recognise the offenders even if they wear heavy make-up or grow beards,' Liu Xuechao, from the Public Security Bureau, was quoted in the Beijing Daily as saying. Li Yuanlin, vice-director of the legal office of the PSB, said the technology would play a key role in helping the city win the battle against hooliganism. 'The key is to stop the troublemakers from entering the grounds. We are studying closely how British police and other countries deal with this problem and learn from their experience.' he said.