Greece will permit fans to attend Super League football matches starting February 13, following two months in which major clubs were ordered to play behind closed doors after a police officer was seriously injured in violence during a volleyball match. In Greece, clashes between football fans occur frequently inside and outside stadiums before or after matches, and the government has been attempting to reform a sport plagued by fanatic supporters and incidents of violence and public disorder for years. A police officer, 31, died in December after being severely injured in violent clashes during a volleyball match hosted by Olympiacos in Piraeus.
The government announced on Wednesday that "fans will be able to attend matches in the Greek Super League again starting February 13, but the rules will be stricter." Deputy Sports Minister Yiannis Vroutsis told reporters that "if acts of violence occur during a match, the committee will impose hefty fines and will order clubs to play the next match without fans." He also mentioned, "If a dangerous object falls onto the pitch, the stadium will be closed before the next match," adding, "It is the state's duty to maintain security." Vroutsis further stated that starting next month, football and basketball clubs will be required to install surveillance cameras in and around the stadiums in order to host fans at their matches.
