VietNamNet Bridge – The Viet Nam Football Federation (VFF)'s Disciplinary Department yesterday lifted a ban on Hai Phong fans travelling to away games for next year's V-League national premier football championship.

VFF said the fan club's members have improved at V-League home matches in 2010-11, during which time there have been no reports of violence.

The ban was imposed two years ago following uninterrupted violence from fans, including lighting flares and throwing objects on the field at both home and away matches.

In 2009, the VFF's Disciplinary Department fined the stadium organisers for their poor job controlling the regular occurrence of rowdy spectators.

Hai Phong fans were seized by Ha Noi Police for lighting a flare during a match at Hang Day Stadium.

In 2008, the violence that broke out after a match between Hai Phong and Song Lam Nghe An at Vinh Stadium resulted in the death of a Nghe An fan.

The federation co-operated with police to arrest the leaders of the riots at Hai Phong's Lach Tray Stadium.

The Hai Phong fan club has 6,000 members and the team lost at least VND2 billion ($100,000) in ticket sales from each game played at a neutral venue.

VietNamNet/Viet Nam News