Legia fans protest stadium lock out, Friday evening; photo - PAP

Over half of the population supports the idea of banning fans from matches if club supporters are involved in hooliganism at football games, finds a poll commissioned by Polish Radio.

The poll by Homo Homini was taken following the decision to lock fans out of the first division league match on Friday evening between Legia Warszawa and Lech Poznan as punishment for rioting at the Polish Cup final last week.

Fifty four percent of respondents told the pollsters that they supported the local government decision to ban fans from matches.

When asked whether banning fans from football matches is an effective way of fighting hooliganism, however, sixty three percent of respondents said ‘no’.

Marcin Duma, the head of the Homo Homini Institute is convinced Poles want, first and foremost, long-term action against hooligans and not a quick fix ahead of the Euro 2012 football championships which are being co-hosted by Poland and Ukraine next year.

Regardless of whether we support the idea of closing the stadium doors for fans, especially after the riots during the Polish Cup final in Bydgoszcz, the respondents expect something more than just telling off the clubs and their fans. They expect comprehensive solutions which will solve the problem in a permanent and not just temporary way,” he says.

Supporters of Legia Warszawa protested in front of Legia Warszawa’s stadium at Łazienkowska street during the club's league match on Friday. (di/pg)