Catania have been ordered to play the rest of their home matches this season at neutral venues and behind closed doors as punishment for the violence that killed a policeman at a Serie A match this month.
The ban on the Massimino Stadium, which was handed down by the
disciplinary committee of the Italian Football League today, will
last until June 30th.
Catania were also fined €50,000.
Italian policeman Filippo Raciti was killed outside the
ground during rioting by hard-core ultra fans at the Sicilian derby
with Palermo at the start of the month.
A statement on the Football League's website said the ban
reflected "the gravity of the events and the real danger posed by
these acts of violence" that had left an "indelible mark in the
memory and the collective consciousness".
The punishment also took into consideration "the absolute
uselessness of sanctions already inflicted on Catania for previous
acts of violence by its supporters."
Last September the club was fined and ordered to play two
matches behind closed doors after its fans fought with supporters
of Messina and Palermo.
The club's chief executive attacked the severity of the ban,
saying the sentence would "bring the city to its knees".
"It was clear that our responsibility was limited by the fact
that the violence happened outside the ground," Italy's ANSA news
agency quoted Pietro Lo Monaco as saying.
Catania's next two Serie A matches - against Fiorentina this
Sunday and Inter Milan the following Sunday - are home fixtures.
The Football League said it would announce the venue for both
games later this week.