3 Sep 2008

Napoli fans banned from away matches in Serie A

10:24 am on 3 September 2008

Napoli fans will not be allowed to travel to their club's away games this season after violence marred last weekend's Serie A opener at AS Roma.

The Italian railway said supporters of the Naples club caused more than a million dollars damage after fighting with police and railway workers and boarding a Rome-bound train without tickets.

Italy's Interior Minister Roberto Maroni says they'll identify all those who were part of the mob so that they will be prevented from attending sporting events for two years and reported to magistrates.

He added that Napoli fans will be banned from away matches for the whole championship.

Italy has a serious hooliganism problem. A policeman and a fan of Rome club Lazio were killed in separate incidents last year.

Napoli fans were frequently hit by bans on travelling to away games last season, but the authorities wanted to give them the chance to prove they had turned a new leaf by letting them attended the Roma match.

Media are also reporting that the Italian Soccer Federation may order Napoli to play some home matches behind closed doors.