BUCHAREST — A Universitatea Cluj fan was sentenced to seven and a half years in prison for trying to kill a police officer during a Romanian first division relegation playoff match last year.
Vidrean Ovidiu Traian was found guilty of attempted murder after he hit the policeman over the head with a seat, leaving him unconscious and covered in blood, during the game in June against AFC Hermannstadt at the Cluj Arena.
The incident took place amid clashes between Universitatea supporters and police with fans throwing seats, stones and other objects at the officers.
A large number of home supporters made their way down to the bottom of a stand to express their fury at what they described as police brutality following a pitch invasion by a Universitatea fan.
Traian was also ordered to pay 18,000 euros ($20,000) in damages, the Cluj court said in a statement. The ruling is not final and can be appealed.
($1 = 0.8862 euros) (Reporting by Angel Krasimirov, editing by Ed Osmond)
