Rival directors' conduct should be probed - commission

MADRID, Mar 2 (Reuters) The conduct of Real Betis and Sevilla directors before Wednesday's King's Cup match should be investigated, the Spanish government's Anti-violence Commission said today.

The quarter-final second leg was abandoned in the second half when Sevilla coach Juande Ramos was knocked unconscious by a bottle thrown from the stands at Betis's stadium.

''The attitudes, statements, and conduct of the directors and those responsible at both clubs have contributed to the raised tension between the rival fans,'' the Commission said in a statement.

''They cannot be disassociated from the serious incidents that occurred on the day of the game. We ask the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) to open an urgent investigation into the level of responsibility the two sets of directors could have had for what occurred.'' Later today, the RFEF's Competitions Committee was meeting to decide on what action to take.

The build-up to the derby match was dominated by public arguments between directors of the two clubs over whether or not Sevilla president Jose Maria del Nido would be allowed in the VIP box at the Betis stadium.

After mediation by the Andalucian regional government, Betis finally allowed Del Nido to attend although some fans threw objects at him, one of which hit him on the nose, as he took his seat.

The former Betis coach, Ramos, was struck by a large plastic bottle full of liquid just after Sevilla scored early in the second half. The match was abandoned with Sevilla leading 1-0 on aggregate.

Eye witnesses said objects had been thrown at the Sevilla coach and his assistants throughout the match, while several Sevilla players were subjected to racial abuse.

The ambulance in which medical staff attended Ramos was hit by bottles thrown by Betis fans, some of whom chanted ''Ramos die''.

Daily El Pais reported that about 200 Sevilla fans set light to more than 60 rubbish bins and telephone booths when they were denied entry to the stadium.

Matches between city rivals Sevilla and Betis are regularly marred by crowd problems.

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