Italian football suspended; Policeman dies during derby violence

[Eagle Winged]

Italian league halted by violence

The Italian Football Federation (FIGC) has called off all this weekend's Serie A and Serie B games after a policeman was killed at a match on Friday.

A 38-year-old officer died as violence flared during and after the Serie A game between Sicilian rivals Catania and Palermo, which Palermo won 2-1.

The game was being played on Friday because of fears over public safety.

FIGC has cancelled Italy's game with Romania on Wednesday and an Under-21 match against Bulgaria on Tuesday too.

The derby game was suspended after an hour when tear gas, used by police to break up the fighting outside the ground, drifted onto the field.

There was fighting outside the ground, reported ANSA news agency, because Palermo fans could not get into Catania's Stadio Massimino until the second half.

The two teams fled the pitch for the dressing-room, with the game suspended for 30 minutes.

Prior to kick-off, a minute's silence had been held following the death of a club official from lower league club Sammartinese at a game last weekend.

Atfer the match, fans continued to fight running battles with police on the streets outside the stadium and around 100 people were being treated for injuries.

Catania club executive Pietro Lo Monaco reacted to news of the officer's death by announcing he would leave football.

"I've heard that a policeman has died," he said. "To speak of football right now seems useless. For me this is the end. I will leave the football world.

"I don't recognise myself in this world anymore. I have loved football intensely but after this right now it seems absurd."

Palermo coach Francesco Guidolin was quick to blame Catania fans for the violence.

"We won the match, but we cannot enjoy this victory," said Guidolin. "Football cannot last for much longer like this. There will be no joy in it."

The Catania prosecutor's office has announced an investigation into the incident.

Italian prime minister Romano Prodi also issued a statement.

"After the serious incidents that occurred tonight in Catania, my first thought is for the people that have been affected and for their families," he said.

"I feel a duty to say that we need a strong and clear signal to avoid the degeneration of this sport which we are seeing more dramatically and more often."

Palermo had taken the lead through Andrea Caracciolo, but Catania equalised within 60 seconds of the teams coming back out thanks to Fabio Caserta.

Palermo won the game with a controversial David di Michele goal in the 83rd minute.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/6326513.stm

 

[mark77]

Disgraceful!!!

- They should suspend it for a year
- Take out every Italian team out of Europe for a year or two
- Ban all ultras from games
- Put them in prison for more than one day
- Punish the teams with severe fines and if it continues; point deductions and even take them out of the game in a worst case scenario.
- Take off the chance of Italy getting EURO 2012
...

then the problem would be solved

 

[Filipower]

while there at it, also forbid any italian to step out of there home for the rest of the world's existance...sheesh..

 

[big al]

Disgraceful!!!

- They should suspend it for a year
- Take out every Italian team out of Europe for a year or two
- Ban all ultras from games
- Put them in prison for more than one day
- Punish the teams with severe fines and if it continues; point deductions and even take them out of the game in a worst case scenario.
- Take off the chance of Italy getting EURO 2012
...

then the problem would be solved

sure dude , its sound s pretty , but if they are going to do that, they gonna have to do it on all the leagues around the world, you see ultras out of control on almost all the leagues.

 

[mark77]

while there at it, also forbid any italian to step out of there home for the rest of the world's existance...sheesh..

that's a bit over the top.

 

[mark77]

sure dude , its sound s pretty , but if they are going to do that, they gonna have to do it on all the leagues around the world, you see ultras out of control on almost all the leagues.

yeah but in Italy they don't know what the hell they're doing. The big guns don't have balls to do anything.

In England it calmed down and should look at what measures they took to fix it.

 

[Bobby]

If Everton and Blackburn did that England would be banned from Europe.

But FIFA/UEFA will only wag their finger at Italy.

 

[Rob]

If Everton and Blackburn did that England would be banned from Europe.

But FIFA/UEFA will only wag their finger at Italy.

True

 

[mark77]

Azzurri friendlies called off
Friday 2 February, 2007
The "indefinite" halt to Italian football following crowd violence has spread to the Azzurri, so friendlies against Belgium and Romania have been called off.

FIGC President Luca Pancalli ordered the immediate suspension of all football in Italy after a policeman was killed in riots at Catania’s Stadio Massimino.

It has now been confirmed that decision also includes the international friendly that Roberto Donadoni's World Cup winners were set to play against Romania on Wednesday at Siena’s Stadio Franchi.

Tuesday’s Under-21 meeting between Pierluigi Casiraghi’s Italy side and their Belgian counterparts has also been called off.

“We are stopping football indefinitely. One weekend is not sufficient. Without drastic measures, we will not allow sport to resume,” added FIGC chief Pancalli this evening.

Filippo Raciti, a 38-year-old policeman, was killed when a homemade bomb thrown by Catania fans exploded inside his car.

The match against Palermo, won 2-1 by the visitors, had already been halted for 30 minutes due to crowd trouble that saw tear gas float on to the pitch.

_______________________

Players urge year-long suspension
Friday 2 February, 2007
The Players’ Association has urged the suspension of Italian football Leagues for a whole year after the latest tragic incidents.

“Football should stop for a year to reflect on all the evil that comes from it. The culture that surrounds our sport is wrong and has to be revolutionised. We need patience for that to happen and maybe passing on to another generation,” said AIC President Sergio Campana.

The FIGC called a halt to all Serie A, B, C and Youth Championship games this weekend after the riots that marred the Sicilian derby.

A 38-year-old policeman was killed in the battles with Catania supporters following Palermo’s 2-1 victory at the Stadio Massimino.

At the moment it is unclear when the fixture list will resume, but the Players Association is urging for a definitive stance.

“I think that faced with these events, football should stop for a year and see if we can change our whole approach to sport,” continued Campana.

“We have for some time been pointing out that there are weekly attacks on players because they lose a game. This means the very culture of sport in this country is wrong. Right when football is trying to rediscover its credibility after Calciopoli, this sort of thing leaves us dumbfounded.”

The last time Serie A ground to a halt over fan violence was on February 5, 1995, when Genoa supporter Vincenzo Spagnolo was stabbed to death ahead of a match against Milan.

“The death of a policeman in Catania and the many injuries as a result of this riot is a disturbing turn of events that calls for drastic measures,” said Minister for Sport Giovanna Melandri.

“The Government will no longer tolerate the need for thousands of police officers in every match to ensure the safety of its citizens. Along with the Home Office Minister Giuliano Amato, we consider the suspension of the next round of games to be an opportune decision by the FIGC.

“The Government and the world of sport must come together now to make sure the Leagues begin again in a totally different way.”

The Sicilian derby was the final straw in a situation that has been growing in the peninsula.

In March 2004 the Rome derby was abandoned at half-time after reports – which later proved to be false – suggested a child had been run over and killed by a police van outside the Stadio Olimpico. This claim prompted extreme tension and riots.

The most tragic incident was only last week, when Sammartinese director Ermanno Licursi died from a brain haemorrhage when a fight broke out between opposition players in the Calabrian amateur League. It emerged he had been kicked in the head.

 

[Deisler]

I've said it before and i repeat it. In Italy you can get away with murder.
Savages.

- They should suspend it for a year
- Take out every Italian team out of Europe for a year or two
- Ban all ultras from games
- Put them in prison for more than one day
- Punish the teams with severe fines and if it continues; point deductions and even take them out of the game in a worst case scenario.
- Take off the chance of Italy getting EURO 2012

I agree 100% and no i am not joking Mark

 

[Bobby]

Let's kick Italy out of football.

Start playing baseball Italy.

 

[Deisler]

Italians having wooden bats and hard knocking balls? Bobby are you sure you want that?

 

[big al]

Italians having wooden bats and hard knocking balls? Bobby are you sure you want that?

haha, thats what we need, a goodfella frenzy , italians should stick to chess.

 

[MaestroZidane]

Sucks to hear news like that . Everyone in Italian football will surely feel the punishment after all is done. Agree with your post there Mark.

 

[Avalanche]

Right now, all of the Italian football suits are saying that "changes are going to be made." However, like the other 10,000 times that they've said that, nothing will happen, and come next weekend, it will be business as usual once again. The only way change will enter the Italian game is if a tragedy of Hillsborough-like proportions happens. All the ingredients for the Perfect Storm are there: the Ultras that don't take no for an answer, the inept police/security people, football officials that are easily manipulated, the crumbling stadia, etc.

 

[d3adly]

as usual nothing will be done and it will be forgotten in a week or two.

 

[Lonestarr022]

I say the leagues should cease for a lengthy period of time, and no games can be played in Italy, the NT has play their Euro 2008 games at a a neutral venue, and the teams still in Europe this season would have to do the same

 

[big al]

the funny things is , that stuff like this has been happening for decades in south america and europe for that matter, the federations or even fifa will never take matter into their own hands, i mean football in our generation is a piggy bank for the federations, if they would suspend their leagues, its suspending their money flow, i mean suspending a couple of their national team games its supose to make it up?, the ironic thing its that the italian federation and fifa will gain money by this with the fines.

 

[Theodorakis]

sad news, this is what happens when you take football so seriously.. the same problem in Turkey and Greece..
(:/)

..... The only way change will enter the Italian game is if a tragedy of Hillsborough-like proportions happens........

so true, the further it goes, the quicker it will be resolved..

Filippo Raciti, a 38-year-old policeman, was killed when a homemade bomb thrown by Catania fans exploded inside his car.

homemade bomb in a football match?

 

[Kimikal™]

The "indefinite" halt to Italian football following crowd violence has spread to the Azzurri, so friendlies against Belgium and Romania have been called off.

I must add Catania and Palermo to the "Most annoying club team" thread.