In a desperate attempt to curb football violence inRussia, Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev on Monday called for the most notorioushooligans to be banned for life from matches.
A Russian league game between Dynamo Moscow and Zenit St.Petersburg was called off last week after the Dynamo goalkeeper was injuredafter a firecracker was thrown from the Zenit stands. More than 90 people werebriefly detained after the match but no one has been charged.
Dynamo was given a 3-0 win.
In the wake of disturbances at the Dynamo-Zenit game, theRussian government has drafted a bill to introduce harsh penalties formisbehaving fans, such as temporary suspensions. But on Monday, Medvedev urgedthe government to go further and introduce life bans.
Medvedev said punishment ought to be "extremely harshagainst those who come to the stadium to misbehave rather than watch thematch."
Russia is due to host a handful of international sportsevents in the coming years, including the 2014 Olympics in Sochi and the WorldCup in 2018.
Medvedev said Monday that security for fans and athletes isa "priority" for Russia.
Violence at football matches as well as hooliganism off thefield has been a problem in Russia for years but authorities have not been ableto curb it.