Ban ultras or get relegated: LFP President

The President of Spain’s professional league (LFP) said that the clubs that do not help in banning violent fan groups, known as ‘ultras’, will be fined, deducted points or even relegated.

There is massive outrage in Spain over the killing of a football fan in organized fighting before Deportivo La Coruna’s match with Atletico Madrid. Since then, Atletico have cut ties with their main ultras group, the Frente Atletico, while Deportivo shut part of their stadium where a radical group known as Riazor Blues gather.

LFP president Javier Tebas said, “We are going to compile an official list of all the ultras groups.

"Clubs that collaborate directly or indirectly with them will suffer economic sanctions and could be docked points or relegated.

"We are going to consolidate the strategy to eliminate ultras from our stadiums."

Tebas said that he felt responsible for the death of the Deportivo fan. "I don't know if we are acting late, but I feel responsible as LFP president," Tebas said.

"I am asking everyone to be self-critical: the Spanish federation (RFEF), the government sports council (CSD), the police, the fans, the clubs and the media so that we are never too late again."

The Standing Committee of the State Commission against Violence, Racism, Xenophobia and Intolerance in Sport met on Thursday, at the Sports Council. They agreed to a proposed penalty of €60,001 and a five-year sports stadium ban for each of the 88 supporters who used various blunt objects in a tumultuous brawl between radical fans of both teams near the Vicente Calderón Stadium.

As a result of the injuries sustained in that confrontation, the Deportivo fan died.