Policeman is killed and many injured as Italian football hooligans riot......
Italian football suspended after policeman dies in riot
3rd February 2007
Fans clash with police outside Catania's Angelo Massimino stadium after the Italian first division soccer league match between Palermo and Catania, in Sicily
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Italy's bid to host Euro 2012 has been dealt a severe blow. This comes just months after several Italian clubs were punished for match-fixing
Italian football is facing up to a new crisis after all football was suspended indefinitely after a police officer was killed during serious trouble at last night's Sicilian derby between Catania and Palermo.
According to reports, 38-year-old Filippo Raciti was struck in the face by a small explosive while attempting to deal with fighting outside the stadium. He was taken to hospital but died from his injuries.
After an emergency meeting last night and Italian football federation (FIGC) commissioner Luca Pancalli announced an immediate suspension of football.
Coming less than a year after the match-fixing scandal which saw Juventus demoted to Serie B and Fiorentina, Lazio and AC Milan also punished, the FIGC once again has some tough decisions to make.
"I have demanded a stop to all activity of football in Italy," Pancalli said in a statement. "Enough is enough.
"It's a situation that I cannot speak of. To lose your life at 38 is incredible. This is not a sport.
"The football tournaments will remain suspended until we solve the violence in our football. It's unacceptable that such incidents happen in a country like Italy."
Those thoughts were echoed by Palermo president Maurizio Zamparini, who has called for stricter laws regarding violence at football matches.
"These people are not fans, but are delinquents that in other countries like England would have been arrested and seriously punished," he said.
"Unfortunately in Italy these things are still allowed to happen. We need more severe laws." Italy were hoping to host the European Championships in 2012.
"At this moment I'm not thinking about (the bid) but should we lose our Euro 2012 bid because of this situation, we would deserve to lose it," Pancalli added.
Italy's national team was due to play Romania in Siena on Wednesday but that game - and the under-21 fixture against Belgium in Chieti on Tuesday - will not go ahead as things stand.
The president of the Italian Olympic Committee, Gianni Petrucci, has backed the FIGC's decision to suspend all football activity, and Italian Prime Minister Romano Prodi added his voice to those calling for action to be taken to stop the trouble.
"After the serious incidents that occurred 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."
Around 100 people were reported to be injured - some seriously - after fighting erupted in the build-up to the game at the Angelo Massimino Stadium.
Trouble continued throughout the evening, with the game suspended for around 30 minutes at one stage.
Palermo won the match 2-1 but players and staff were held in the stadium by police after the game while the area was secured.
Catania club executive Pietro Lo Monaco reacted to news of the officer's death by announcing he would leave football.
"To speak of football right now seems useless. For me this is the end. I will leave the football world," he said.
"I don't recognise myself in this world anymore. I have loved football intensely but after this right now it seems absurd."
dailymail.co.uk
Italian football suspended after policeman dies in riot
3rd February 2007
Fans clash with police outside Catania's Angelo Massimino stadium after the Italian first division soccer league match between Palermo and Catania, in Sicily
------------------------
Italy's bid to host Euro 2012 has been dealt a severe blow. This comes just months after several Italian clubs were punished for match-fixing
Italian football is facing up to a new crisis after all football was suspended indefinitely after a police officer was killed during serious trouble at last night's Sicilian derby between Catania and Palermo.
According to reports, 38-year-old Filippo Raciti was struck in the face by a small explosive while attempting to deal with fighting outside the stadium. He was taken to hospital but died from his injuries.
After an emergency meeting last night and Italian football federation (FIGC) commissioner Luca Pancalli announced an immediate suspension of football.
Coming less than a year after the match-fixing scandal which saw Juventus demoted to Serie B and Fiorentina, Lazio and AC Milan also punished, the FIGC once again has some tough decisions to make.
"I have demanded a stop to all activity of football in Italy," Pancalli said in a statement. "Enough is enough.
"It's a situation that I cannot speak of. To lose your life at 38 is incredible. This is not a sport.
"The football tournaments will remain suspended until we solve the violence in our football. It's unacceptable that such incidents happen in a country like Italy."
Those thoughts were echoed by Palermo president Maurizio Zamparini, who has called for stricter laws regarding violence at football matches.
"These people are not fans, but are delinquents that in other countries like England would have been arrested and seriously punished," he said.
"Unfortunately in Italy these things are still allowed to happen. We need more severe laws." Italy were hoping to host the European Championships in 2012.
"At this moment I'm not thinking about (the bid) but should we lose our Euro 2012 bid because of this situation, we would deserve to lose it," Pancalli added.
Italy's national team was due to play Romania in Siena on Wednesday but that game - and the under-21 fixture against Belgium in Chieti on Tuesday - will not go ahead as things stand.
The president of the Italian Olympic Committee, Gianni Petrucci, has backed the FIGC's decision to suspend all football activity, and Italian Prime Minister Romano Prodi added his voice to those calling for action to be taken to stop the trouble.
"After the serious incidents that occurred 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."
Around 100 people were reported to be injured - some seriously - after fighting erupted in the build-up to the game at the Angelo Massimino Stadium.
Trouble continued throughout the evening, with the game suspended for around 30 minutes at one stage.
Palermo won the match 2-1 but players and staff were held in the stadium by police after the game while the area was secured.
Catania club executive Pietro Lo Monaco reacted to news of the officer's death by announcing he would leave football.
"To speak of football right now seems useless. For me this is the end. I will leave the football world," he said.
"I don't recognise myself in this world anymore. I have loved football intensely but after this right now it seems absurd."
dailymail.co.uk
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