Italy to begin anti-hooliganism adverts

Italy is to launch a series of adverts condemning football-related violence, Interior Minister Roberto Maroni said on Thursday.

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.

“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.”

Football league president Antonio Matarrese is also considering various possibilities to detain troublemakers inside stadiums.

“If necessary we will build cells inside the stadiums to put those trouble-makers away as quickly as possible,” he vowed.