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Italian football bosses are mooting plans to install holding cells inside stadiums in a bid to combat crowd-trouble and hooliganism.
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Italian Football League boss Antonio Matarrese revealed the plans on today as the government announced an anti-football violence publicity campaign.
Matarrese said he wouldn’t be trying to replicate measures taken in England to combat hooliganism but that the drastic measure of incarceration within stadiums was a viable option.
“They have another culture and also we shouldn’t forget that we have great fans made up of good people who follow their teams,” he said.
“For sure in Italy there are laws that have changed and hence also the activities of those politicians who find it right to defend those people who should go to jail.
“We shouldn’t copy anyone but simply we should change and apply the laws, (and) if necessary, hopefully put cells inside the stadiums.
“That way if there are hooligans we can put them quickly behind bars and then transfer them to prison.
“Either we have to be strong or it’s better to surrender. We will not surrender.”
Italy has been gripped by the hooliganism debate again this season after Napoli fans rioted on their way to a match at AS Roma on the opening weekend of the season.
Fans wrecked a train and destoyed 20 buses as well as assaulting a train conductor, police officers and even other members of the public.
And this just a year after the deaths of a police officer and a Lazio fan in football-related violence in the country.
Now Italy is belatedly trying to react with Interior Minister Roberto Maroni announcing an advertising campaign.
“The minister Maroni has announced to government that he will launch a publicity campaign against violence in the football world,” said a government statement.
“The campaign will be broadcast on Rai (television) with anti-violence announcements on sports websites.
“Also all players in Serie A and B will wear shirts with an anti-violence message.”
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