A PARKING ticket given to the Real Betis coach in Spain by a policeman who supports their arch-rivals Seville has caused controversy in this southern city.
Real Betis manager, Lorenzo Serra Ferrer, reacted angrily to the fine and was detained for four hours on Saturday by a policeman who is a season ticket holder at neighbours Seville.
Serra Ferrer could be jailed if found guilty of kicking the officer. The coach denies the charge.
"The whole incident is because of the pain of the 21-point advantage," said Betis's owner, Manuel Ruiz de Lopera, whose team is currently 15 places higher than Seville in the league.
Ruiz de Lopera held the officer responsible for Betis dropping two points in Sunday's 2-2 home draw with Racing Santander and said he would break off relations with the Town Hall.
A Town Hall official, quoted in yesterday's sports daily Marca, denied victimisation and said the rules were the same for everybody.
Argentine Diego Maradona, who played for Seville in the 1992-93 season, claimed that one of the policemen who stopped him for speeding was a Betis supporter and the other, who was more friendly, was a Seville fan.
