All Italian football cancelled: Police officer killed during game

[Illuminattile]

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.

Officer Filippo Raciti died as violence flared during the Serie A game between Sicilian rivals Catania and Palermo.

FIGC has also cancelled Italy's friendly with Romania on Wednesday and all matches until a solution is found.

Commissioner Luca Pancalli said: "What we're witnessing has nothing to do with soccer, so Italian soccer is stopping."

He added that the decision to stop the games for the duration of the weekend was not enough, and said there would be more meetings on Monday "to identify those drastic measures that will allow us to restart. Otherwise, we're not restarting the games."

The game was already given an early time slot on Friday because of fears over public safety.

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.

The federation said that another police officer was in critical condition, and police said dozens of people with lesser injuries had been taken to local hospitals.

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.

Players urge year-long suspension Friday 2 February, 2007

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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.

Hopefully this brings about a much-needed change.

 

[Bobby Sands]

All this over a game of football.People are so stupid.

The police man was married with two kids as well.They are left with out a dad now.From what i heard,Catania's ultras were the main culprits

There are calls to have the league suspended for a year.I wonder if this does happen,will poor Inter ever win the league properly again lol.

 

[Bobby Sands]

Update: Italian League Suspension Italian football has been suspended indefinitely by the Football Federation (FIGC) in response to the death of police officer Filippo Raciti as he was attempting to deal with fighting outside the stadium at Friday night's Sicilian derby between Catania and Palermo.
Update: Italian League Suspension
zoom - galleria

Officer Raciti died after an explosive device was thrown into his car by a rioter and struck him in the face. He was taken to hospital but died from his injuries.

The FIGC has called off all this weekend's professional and amateur games, as well as Italy's friendly with Romania on Wednesday, and at the moment the suspension of football is for an indefinite period.

FIGC Commissioner Luca Pancalli (pictured) said: "What we're witnessing has nothing to do with soccer, so Italian soccer is stopping."

Pancalli had already issued a warning earlier in the week that more violence would see the cessation of league football after clashes between supporters and police in several cities last Sunday.

"One day is not sufficient," Pancalli added after acting on his warning. "Without drastic measures, we cannot play again.

"We will immediately set up a commission to discuss the situation between sport and politics. It's not possible to carry on like this."

"Italian soccer will stop. And it will stop until we identify a road, serious and drastic, to allow the possibility of resuming the championships.

Pancalli said an emergency meeting would take place on Monday with the interior and sports ministers, and must identify new measures, "Otherwise we won't start again".

The match between Catania, fifth in Serie A, and Palermo, third, was scheduled to kick-off early on Friday precisely because of fears about public safety.

And before the start, a minute's silence was observed following the death of a club official from lower league club Sammartinese last weekend.

However, the Sicilian derby had to be suspended after an hour when tear gas, used by police to break up fighting outside the ground, drifted into the stadoium and enveloped the pitch.

ANSA news agency reported that the fighting broke out because Palermo fans could not get into Catania's Stadio Massimino until the second half.

The two teams had to flee the pitch for the sanctuary of the dressing-room to escape the tear gas, and the game was halted for 30 minutes.

But after the match, running battles between hooligans and police continued in the streets outside the stadium. The clashes were led by hooded rioters hurling fireworks and lashing out at police with makeshift weapons. Police said they arrested nine people and detained 23 others.

About a hundred people were treated for injuries, with dozens suffering from lesser injuries being taken to local hospitals.

Another police officer was also hurt and is reportedly in a critical condition.

Catania club executive Pietro Lo Monaco reacted to news of the officer's death by announcing that 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."

The Palermo coach, Francesco Guidolin, said after the match was concluded, with his side winning 2-1: "We won the match, but we cannot enjoy this victory.

"Football cannot last for much longer like this. There will be no joy in it."

Guidolin was quoted by Gazzetta dello Sport's Web site (www.gazzetta.it) saying: "I am very disillusioned.

"What has happened tonight offends sport and a beautiful and civil city like Catania. It cannot go on like this. If we do not recapture certain values, it cannot go on.

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

And Italy's prime minister, Romano Prodi, issued a statement saying: "After the serious incidents that occurred tonight in Catania, my first thought is for the people that have been affected and for their families.

"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."

The Mayor of Catania, Umberto Scapagnini, was in the operating theatre during the 45-minute-long attempt, ultimately in vain, to revive Officer Raciti.

He said: "There just are no words to say - to see a life cut down like this there are just no words.

"This is absurd, incomprehensible and absolutely unacceptable."

source:Goal.com

 

[hizzle?]

they should fucking stop the italian league from existing. im sick and tired of them. they are the ones who ALWAYS give a bad name to football...

I'm all for hooligan fights, but aslong as it's between hooligans... not freaking citizens or policemen.

idiots...

 

[Sebastian]

they should fucking stop the italian league from existing. im sick and tired of them. they are the ones who ALWAYS give a bad name to football...

I'm all for hooligan fights, but aslong as it's between hooligans... not freaking citizens or policemen.

idiots...

WTF?

 

[Bobby Sands]

Italian Football has gone to shit.The league is nowhere near the standard it was at in the 90's.Inter have a good team but wont win Europe,Milan are struggling.Juventus are in serie b.Roma are about as good as Spurs or Newcastle imo.Lazio have a lot of shit players now as well..Even my beloved Sampdoria would struggle to avoid relegation in the premiership or Liga.Their present side is nowhere near as good as the teams they had in the early to mid 90's.Those were the glory days for Serie A.I remember i used to watch the Football Italia highlights show and see players like Ruben Sosa,Gabriel Batistuta,Marco Van Basten,Guiseppe Signori,Roberto Baggio,Roberto Mancini,Ginaluca Vialli.The league isnt near as strong anymore and there didnt seem to be a hooliganism back then either.If there was then it was very minor.

 

[tHuG $TyLe]

Serie A was the greatest league for quite some time in the 90's...the debt in Italy caused alot of the players to move on.

 

[Bobby Sands]

^^Exactly.all you have to do is look at the UEFA Cup this year.Newcastle's reserves were able to beat Palermo in Palermo.Palermo were second in serie a at the time.

 

[hizzle?]

WTF?

It's entertaining when they fight between eachother.

besides. nothing better than running away from a bunch of fucking freaks who wana kill you.

 

[Flipmo]

It's entertaining when they fight between eachother.

besides. nothing better than running away from a bunch of fucking freaks who wana kill you.

:thumb: :thumb: :thumb:

 

[Sebastian]

It's entertaining when they fight between eachother.

besides. nothing better than running away from a bunch of fucking freaks who wana kill you.

I hope they kill you some time.lol

By the way: Did anyone hear what the president of the italian league (i think thats what he is) said? Something like: Well there is a lot of money involved in football so we have a price to pay.

What the ??? Lol, italy is definitely the most stupid country.

 

[Bachaveli]

Watching Serie A matches is really pathetic right now.I just can't watch their games anymore.I prefer MLS now,well not really but i just can't watch Serie A matches.The tempo is so slow,everybody dives,everybody holds on to the ball too long,everybody thinks they're the 'shit',everybody thinks they're the coach for others and its just pathetic watching every single Serie A game.From Totti with his 10 pound hair gelling each game to posing of the cameras during the free kicks as if it was a photo shoot for a playboy magazine to i don't know.Its just sick.Everything seems to be corrupted and bad.On the field,as well as off the field.The gov't and the football official don't seem to be doing anything to fix the problems.Everybody whos involved is dirty.Its a shame such a beautiful sport and they're fucking up like this.

 

[tHuG $TyLe]

Though Serie A is getting a bad rep...The Inter Milan v AC Milan game which ended 4-3 was great.