All top-flight soccer matches in Greece will be played without fans in the stadiums for the next two months, in the latest crackdown on supporter violence following a sport-related riot last week that left a police officer with life-threatening injuries.
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The government said on Monday it would introduce emergency legislation to make the ban on supporters effective immediately. It will end on February 12 with a possible extension to follow.
This past weekend's professional soccer matches were postponed following a series of violent incidents at matches, and a riot last week's that occurred outside a volleyball game and is believed to be led by organised soccer hooligan groups.
The match was between Olympiacos and Panathinaikos who are both owned by the soccer sides of the same name.
The 31-year-old police officer injured in the clashes remains in a coma after being hit in the left leg by a flare, causing extensive bleeding and cardiac arrest. An 18-year-old man is in custody.
"This murderous attack against a policeman is not the first incident of extreme fan violence in recent years. Criminals in the guise of sports fans are committing serious offences, seriously injuring and killing people," government spokesman Pavlos Marinakis told reporters.
He said all 14 clubs competing in the top-flight Super League will have to install surveillance cameras inside stadiums and use personalised ticketing systems that require the holder to show identification upon entry before being allowed to admit supporters.
Violence has plagued Greek soccer for decades despite repeated efforts to crack down on the supporters' associations blamed for it. Two fans have been killed in separate incidents in the last two years
with Reuters
Australian Associated Press
