The Greek government announced on Monday that all football matches in the country will be played without spectators until February 12, to tackle the rising violence at sports events.
The decision comes in the wake of a recent incident in Athens where a police officer was severely injured during a volleyball game clash between rival fans.
This is one of many such incidents that have recently plagued the country.
According to government spokesman Pavlos Marinakis, the measure could be extended to European matches involving Greek teams on a case-by-case basis.
In addition to this, all stadiums will be equipped with high-resolution cameras and electronic entry systems to verify supporters’ identities to ensure safety and security.
Marinakis further added, “For a number of years, criminals posing as fans have committed serious crimes, seriously injuring and killing people.”
The recent volleyball game between Athens rivals Olympiakos and Panathinaikos was abandoned on Thursday due to the violent clash between fans outside the arena.
A 31-year-old police officer was hospitalised in a “critical” condition after being reportedly struck in the thigh by a flare.
The police detained over 400 people for questioning, most of whom were released on Saturday.
Meanwhile, an 18-year-old was arrested on Sunday for shooting the flare that seriously injured the police officer.
He will appear in court this week and face a charge of “attempted murder”.
