Zero tolerance to soccer violence after fan's murder

The brutal murder last week of one Spanish soccer fan by a radical supporter of the same club has shocked at least one club into action against the hooligans.

Manuel Riacuteos, a 31 year old father of two, stepped in harm's way on the street outside the stadium after a game of his Deportivo de La Coruna team.

Three members of his team's radical fan club, Ultras as they are called in Spain, were beating a 13-year-old boy who dared wear the jersey of the rival team.

Riacuteos intervened and was thanked by a powerful flying karate kick in the chest that collapsed his lung and liver. He died on the way to the hospital.

The Ultras dispersed and only a few days later after an intense man-hunt did the assassin turn himself in to police.

Spanish and European news were full of the latest tragedy, with politicians and social analysts competing on TV news to denounce the sport's excesses.

Conspicuously, First Division soccer powerhouse presidents were mute, or issued soppy statements of regrets.

A notable difference is Barcelona F.C.A's new president, Joan Laporta.

Laporta has made it a priority to rid his stadium, Camp Nou, of its violent ultra supporters.

Before the death of Riacuteos, his efforts were wasted, since there was no support for his crusade from other members of the Barcelona administration, and even some players were saying that the radical fans should be welcome at the stadium.

Barcelona's ultra group, the Boixos Nois, have in fact been sponsored by the club, by having up to 300 tickets per match donated to their members.

Using the American model, Laporta is now saying, "Zero Tolerance."

Although there is now threatening graffiti written against Laporta daily on the stadium walls, police, media, and Barcelona's cultural gurus are behind the effort.

Now even the Barcelona players are speaking out against violence in the stadium.

There will be a major civic demonstration sponsored by the club just before the game this week with Deportivo.

Last year the same Barcelona Ultras were responsible for the cancellation of the most important match of the year against rival Real Madrid.

In a scene repeated on TV, Barcelona fans were oblivious to the pleas of their own players to stop throwing bottles and chairs at Madrid player, Luis Figo.

The league cancelled the game and prevented Barcelona from playing at their own stadium, thus losing the revenues, for three games.

International soccer has been associated with English skinhead fan violence for decades now.

Other countries in Europe and Latin America have also suffered the inexplicable violent passions that the game arouses in some people.

Many people refuse to bring their children to a game, for fear of a brawl or riot.

Police in riot gear on the streets and helicopters in the sky around stadiums are standard procedure for big games.

During the game, it is common to see flares and fireworks and fights in the stands.

As Laporta said, "Football (soccer) is becoming less and less of a sport and more of a show (for the radical fans)."