Argentina calls foul on football violence

Argentina's stadia have seen increasing clashes

The Argentine Government has announced emergency security measures in an attempt to halt increasing football violence, which has claimed three lives and injured hundreds more in the last two weeks alone.

Officials stopped short of suspending the football league, saying they would introduce stiffer penalties for offenders instead.

Duhalde: Ready to stop league matches if necessary

The government plans to pass the proposals into law before the weekend's fixtures, when two arch-rival teams from Buenos Aires - Boca Juniors and River Plate - meet in a derby.

The authorities came under pressure to act after 13 people were injured in clashes between opposing fans last week end.

Among the proposals are longer prison sentences for fans found with firearms or fireworks at stadiums.

Public alarm

Although government and football officials, who met President Eduardo Duhalde to discuss the issue on Tuesday, decided against suspending league play, a newspaper poll suggests most Argentines are in favour of a ban.

The survey, published on Tuesday in the daily, Clarin, showed 62% wanted a break from the games in the wake of the weekend violence.

During a match between River Plate and Nueva Chicago on Sunday one person was knifed repeatedly and at least 12 others were hospitalised with rubber bullet injuries inflicted by police trying to break up the clashes.

But President Duhalde did say he was ready to stop the football if necessary.

"If stopping football is a solution, then the football will have to stop," he told a radio programme earlier.

"But the solution, it seems to me, is to put in place new rules which are more dissuasive (to violence). We should implement a law which is less permissive for those who commit acts of vandalism," he said.

At least 152 people have died in football-related violence since the country's professional leagues started in 1930.