Matches called off after violence

12 April 2012

This weekend's football matches in Serie B and Serie C have been postponed in the wake of Sunday's violence in the Italian league.

The country's football federation (FIGC) announced the decision on Monday evening following a series of meetings during the day. There were no Serie A games scheduled this weekend due to the international break.

FIGC president Giancarlo Abete said: "The decision taken by the federation with the consensus of the other organisations present, is for the Serie B and C games programmed on Sunday to be postponed."

Italy's national team are to face Scotland on a Euro 2008 qualifying game on Saturday in Glasgow.

Sunday's violence was sparked by the death of a Lazio fan who was shot by a policeman.

The national observatory for sporting events, an independent body formed to clamp down on football violence, met for five hours on Monday before confirming new measures to combat football hooliganism.

"Fans travelling in groups to away games will only be authorised to do so if there is proof of legitimacy," the observatory said in a statement.

"From March 1, all stadia with a capacity of more than 7,500 spectators must have stewards or the punishment will be for the game to be played behind closed doors.

"Hence, the city's head of police can decide whether a game will not start or should be abandoned any time incidents happen, even outside the stadia.

"Violent fan groups will not be allowed to travel to away games and certain restrictions will be fixed at a later stage."

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