Italians aim to outlaw soccer hooligans

SOCCER fans banned from matches in their own countries could be refused tickets for next year’s European Championship in Portugal.

The Italian government is proposing new tough measures to cut down on football hooliganism in advance of next year’s games. They currently hold the European Union presidency and are expected to propose tighter restrictions at the next meeting of justice ministers in Brussels in September to cut down on violence.

There are already a range of measures in place where police from different countries co-operate to prevent known hooligans from attending major international matches. Interpol has been very active in this area in the past few years and has targeted organised groups that travel from one country to another specifically to create trouble.