Fans of visiting first-division teams have been banned from all stadiums for the rest of Argentina's season in a bid by the national soccer federation to crack down on surging fan violence.
The unprecedented decision late Tuesday by the federation known as AFA allows only each home club's local ticket-holders and members into matches, and bars visiting fans, who have been singled out by many as the chief source of violence in the stands.
AFA released a statement regretting a spate of violent incidents that have marred the Apertura, which Buenos Aires powerhouse Boca Juniors leads by four points. But AFA executives said they had no choice but to act with four rounds remaining.
``Lamentably, acts of violence orchestrated by delinquents and social misfits ... have taken centre stage,'' AFA said.
``Only those who are associates or ticket-holders of local clubs will be allowed into the stadiums.''
Separately, an AFA security commission reported that 104 police officers have been injured this season in clashes with fans at stadiums in Buenos Aires province, the centre of most of the thuggery.
Violent fans called ``barrabravas'' have damaged 16 police vehicles, a truck, a bus, and helmets, shields and other costly police equipment, the security commission reported.
AFA's drastic ruling came after yet another violent weekend in Argentine soccer marked by police clashes and running battles at a Buenos Aires provincial stadium.
On Sunday, police firing tear gas and rubber bullets moved in at Independiente when fans began hurling rocks, sticks and other debris with the home side leading Racing 2-0. There were no serious injuries, but the match was halted in the 64th minute as critics blamed Racing's club executives for failing to check its fan base.
It marked the fourth consecutive round in which violence has marred the Argentine league, raising calls for new security measures.
The government of President Nestor Kirchner has vowed to seek new laws in Congress to crack down on offenders, asking lawmakers to join him to arrest spiralling violence.
Security officials in Buenos Aires province announced Tuesday they would no longer send police escorts to protect bus caravans transporting rival soccer fans to and from matches in the vast area bordering the capital.
Buenos Aires provincial Governor Felipe Sola said the move to draw down provincial police manpower defrays a costly weekend security expense. But his aides made clear the police would continue to patrol stadiums in the province during matches.
Meanwhile, the decision to end police escorts for caravans of barrabravas was seen by some as an effort to force AFA's decision late Tuesday to bar visiting fans.
Every weekend, rival fan caravans crisscross the province, and authorities had implemented the police escorts to prevent clashes between barrabravas _ who have been known to brawl at tollbooths and other highway crossings whenever rival caravans meet.
Critics, meanwhile, have called on first-division club executives to rein in their unruly fans, arguing that some pay travel costs and other perks for barrabravas to away matches. But many teams have said they can't even agree on a co-ordinated security plan.
© The Canadian Press, 2007
