Tuesday, June 11, 2013

Argentina bans football away supporters after fan death


Argentina bans football away supporters after fan death

Lanus supporters in La PlataLanus supporters clashed with police at the Estudiantes home ground, in La Plata

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The Argentine Football Association (AFA) has banned away fans from attending football matches after the death a supporter.
The ban will apply across the country in all divisions of Argentine football.
On Monday, a supporter of visiting club Lanus was killed as fans and riot police clashed in the city of La Plata, during a match against Estudiantes.
More than 70 football supporters have been killed in Argentina since the year 2000.
For the first time in Argentina's history, only home fans will be allowed into the grounds.
Buenos Aires authorities had already announced a ban on away fans in the province in response to the incident in La Plata.
"The measure will remain in place until the football authorities take action to curb violence in football," said the regional security minister Ricardo Casal.
But the AFA, with the support of the Argentine government, decided to extend the restrictions nationwide until new measures are taken to put an end to violence.
'Social problem'
Forty-two-year-old Lanus supporter Javier Gerez was shot in the chest with a rubber-coated bullet on Monday during a first division match.
Riot police talks to match officials during the Lanas-Estudiantes game in La Planta (10 June 2013)The Estudiantes-Lanus match was called off at half-time as the violence flared outside
Home team Estudiantes were leading 2-0 against first division title contenders Lanus when a fight broke out outside the stadium.
Hundreds of Lanus fans left their seats to get involved.
Mr Gerez was reportedly struck by a rubber bullet fired by police trying to suppress crowd trouble, said the BBC's Ignacio de los Reyes in Buenos Aires.
Lanus, a club from Greater Buenos Aires, issued a statement condemning "police brutality".
Three police officers have been arrested while an investigation is carried out.

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Football reflects the violence in society”
Mauricio PellegrinoManager, Estudiantes
Another supporter was injured and is in a serious condition in hospital. The match was abandoned at half-time.
Mr Casal said that from now on, "police officers in Buenos Aires will not use rubber-coated bullets in sports events".
Buenos Aires province is the home of some of the country's main football clubs, such as Boca Juniors, River Plate and Racing.
Mr Casal said thousands of police officers are deployed at every big football match to avoid clashes between fans.
"That will end. They should be policing the neighbourhoods, not stopping fights between football fans," he said.
More than 70 supporters have been killed in football-related violence in Argentina since the year 2000, according to pressure group Let's Save the Football (Salvemos al Futbol).
Most were shot dead or stabbed, in incidents involving Argentina's notorious supporter groups, known as Barras Bravas.
The manager of the Estudiantes club, Mauricio Pellegrino, said it was "a social problem".
"Football reflects the violence in society," he said.

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