Punish soccer officials for fan violence, says Chile lawmaker

Santiago - A Chilean lawmaker has said he would promote a bill to hold soccer officials liable for fan hooliganism after a brawl last weekend between rival team supporters led to the death of a fan.

Chilean deputy Matias Walker told local radio that his bill improves on the current anti-violence law "by placing responsibility for fan violence on the officials," reports Xinhua.

Walker, along with fellow deputy Jorge Burgos, originally presented the bill in January 2011, but plans to reintroduce it following the death of a 27-year-old fan killed in fighting a block from the stadium where local teams Colo Colo and O'Higgins played.

According to police, the fan was the ninth victim of soccer-related hooliganism since violence among supporters first became an issue in Chile in the 1990s.

"We were the first to denounce officials for feeding fan (violence), as demonstrated on television," said Walker, referring to a recent public-access TV show on the close ties between club officials and the leaders of fan clubs.

The victim apparently led a violent group of Colo Colo supporters known as the White Claw.

Those found to have violated the law would be fined, said Walker, adding he would resubmit the bill to parliament.