Argentine football clubs can now welcome away supporters after a 12-year ban, the Argentine Football Association said on Thursday.
The ban, imposed in 2013 following violent incidents, including the death of a spectator, has now been lifted as part of a staged reintroduction ahead of the next round of fixtures in the current league campaign.
"This is a historic day because it marks the beginning of the return of visiting fans, enabling clubs that wish to host them to do so," AFA president Claudio Tapia said at a press conference.
He added that the move was partly motivated by the excitement surrounding World Cup winner Ángel Di María's return to Argentina's top flight.
The ban was imposed first in the province of Buenos Aires, and the rest of the districts followed. While the measure sought to end stadium violence, it fell short, as more deaths subsequently occurred for disputes among the so-called "barrabravas."
The AFA announced that 6,500 fans of Di María's new club Rosario Central, a team from that city located 300 kilometers north of Buenos Aires, will be able to occupy the Lanús away section under a strict security protocol, which includes designated tickets so that fans attending are properly identified.
Rosario Central president Gonzalo Belloso appealed to his club's fans to behave appropriately amid the renewed presence of rival supporters.
"The idea isn't to go back to what we had before because the visitors were kicked out for a reason," Buenos Aires security minister Javier Alonso said. "We have to eradicate the culture of violence. It's sad to see 10-year-olds singing about drugs or that someone needs to be killed. It has to be a family celebration, with flags and drums."
For the time being, the measure will apply only to the province of Buenos Aires, although Tapia said that other provinces are willing to join the initiative.
The plan has raised questions. Sectors of the opposition to the Buenos Aires government warned that police officers cannot be assigned to guard visiting fans to the detriment of citizens concerned about a growing wave of insecurity.
The restriction on visiting fans only applied to professional league matches and other divisions in Argentina. They are allowed in international tournaments such as the Copa Libertadores and the Copa Sudamericana.
"This is what football fans and society want. Many matches have been organized with two sets of fans, and that's why we decided to announce the start of the return of visiting fans," Tapia said.
Information from Reuters and The Associated Press was used in this report.