The UK government has announced that football fans found to be selling or taking Class A drugs such as cocaine at grounds around the country could face five-year bans, in efforts to combat violence and disorder within the game.
The measures come amid a major rise in incidents over the past year at matches across England, at both domestic and international level.
Now, the government has laid out a plan of action as they look to tackle the problem, addressing why they have drafted such an approach.
What has been said about the new orders?
"Their habit is feeding a war on our streets driving misery and crime across our country and beyond", Prime Minister Boris Johnson said when discussing the new measures.
"That’s why we are stepping up our efforts to make sure those who break the law face the full consequences – because taking illegal drugs is never a victimless crime."
Policing Minister Kit Malthouse added: "More and more the police are finding Class A drugs at the heart of that disorder, and so we must act. The football family wants every ground to be a safe space for fans, especially children, and so do we."
Is there a problem with violence in English football?
The measures come amid a significant uptick in crowd disorder, and on the back of particularly ugly scenes during last year's Euro 2020 Final at Wembley, where England fell to Italy in a penalty shootout.
Statistics released by the UK football policing unit (UKFPU) earlier this year showed an increase in arrests against the same period in the 2019-20 season, and a 36 per cent rise in reports of disorder at games.
Earlier this week, Nottingham Forest's Championship play-off semi-final triumph over Sheffield United was marred by ugly scenes, including Blades star Billy Sharp being hit by an opposing fan.
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