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Rowdy Vatican soccer fans told to keep noise down

A Vatican-backed soccer tournament for Rome seminarians and priests, which has already seen its share of red cards and rows on the pitch, has been forced to crack down on rowdy supporters in the stands.

After neighbors living near the ground complained of noise, trainee priests supporting their teams in the Clericus Cup tournament have been told that they will be barred from entering the ground if they continue to show up equipped with drums, megaphones, trumpets, maracas and ghetto blasters.

Loud chanting, sometimes in Latin, will also be discouraged to avoid "disturbing the peace," the organizers said.

drums

Singled out for excessive celebrations were drum-beating fans urging on the Mexican players of the Maria Mater Ecclesiae College.

African seminarians turning out for Urban College have been backed by noisy reggae music, while fans of Italian trainee priests from the Romano Maggiore Pontifical Seminary have used megaphones to great effect.

American seminarians from Rome's North American College, nicknamed the NAC, have been chanting "Come on you Knackers, kick some caboose," at games before singing Doo Wap numbers.

hymn

Despite the noise ban, supporters of the current cup holders, Redemptoris Mater Seminary, have reportedly said they will continue to sing a hymn from the stands before each game.

The ban comes in the wake of tense moments on the pitch in last season's final, when players from the losing side, Pontifical Lateran University, harangued the referee, claiming an opponent had dived to win a penalty.

This earned them spells in the special sin-bin set up for the tournament.

The tournament brings together 18 teams with players of 51 nationalities, reinforced by lay members working for religious organizations.

Pope Benedict XVI said this month that soccer should promote "honesty, solidarity and fraternity."
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