STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. — There are new rules in place for spectators who attend Catholic Youth Organization basketball games.

Those spectators who are ejected by a referee for disruptive behavior during a CYO basketball game will now face a one-year ban.

If that same individual commits a repeat violation, they will be hit with a lifetime ban.

Moreover, any spectator who engages in a physical altercation at a CYO game will face a lifetime ban and never be able to attend another CYO competition.

Previously, each disciplinary matter would be handled on a case-by-case basis and CYO would handle each matter individually.

Borough President Vito Fossella announced the new policy alongside Catholic Youth Organization officials at the Mt. Loretto CYO Community Center gymnasium in Pleasant Plains on Tuesday.

“The mission was about the kids,” Fossella, whose children played CYO basketball, said. “The mission was about teaching them responsibility. The mission was about them having a good time: the kids. The kids are the center of this universe here. And every once in a while some spectators get out of control and ruin it for the kids and ruin it for everybody else.”

The new policy comes less than a month after the Advance/SILive.com reported on an altercation that broke out during a Catholic Youth Organization basketball game.

A video of the struggle posted to social media was sent to the Advance/SILive.com after the brawl. The courtside fight broke out among adults just after 9:20 p.m. on Dec. 20, in the gymnasium of St. Teresa’s in Castleton Corners.

While the melee began between two women, others joined in the fray in an attempt to split the two apart.

According to Michael Neely, county director for CYO, the two women were parents and some of those who further got involved were their families.

Those two women, including the family members involved in the fight, have been suspended indefinitely from attending CYO games, Neely explained.

“I think this is a very important message and I appreciate his [Fossella’s] input on this,” Neely said. “He’s been front and center with me for the last couple of weeks, kinda trying to talk me off the ledge a little bit, but it’s pretty upsetting and I really want to publicly thank him and his staff.”