Italian Football Suspended

[Euge]

The Serie A and B Championships have been suspended after the death of a policeman in the Catania riots.

FIGC President Luca Pancalli made the announcement this evening. “We will immediately set up a permanent round table commission to discuss the situation between sport and politics. It’s not possible to carry on like this. If this is football, then I’m stopping everything.”

The Sicilian derby, eventually won 2-1 by Palermo this evening, had been interrupted after 57 minutes due to crowd trouble when tear gas floated on to the pitch.

While play resumed and the final whistle sanctioned the Rosanero’s victory, the problems intensified outside the Stadio Massimino.

A large group of Catania supporters engaged in a full-scale riot with the police and one officer, 38-year-old Filippo Raciti, was killed when struck in the face by a homemade bomb.

It’s now reported that hundreds of people have been rushed to the local hospital with injuries, although none are thought to be life threatening.

This tragic incident comes just a week after Ermanno Licursi, director of Calabrian amateur side Sanmartinese, was killed in a fight with opposition players after the final whistle of a Serie D game against Cancellese.

The Amateur League was suspended and this latest shameful scenario has pushed the FIGC to take similar action with Serie A, B, C and the Youth Championships.

http://www.channel4.com/sport/football_italia

what iv heard is that the Palermo fans arrived late and the Catania fans were waiting and ambushed them, and also that the Police Officer that was killed was actually murdered as revenge because he was a witness in a case against a Catania fan.

[Fadingtoblack]

That's insane. All this over a game - I think it's for the best they suspend play until they can sort this out.

And maybe the "Fans", can get the hint and get their act together if they want their sport back.


".....was killed when struck in the face by a homemade bomb"
What the hell!!!!

[Invaders]

those catanians is some of the most fucked up people walking on the earth. I love football but imo the italian league is just some peace of crap that we all can live without. Who the fuck needs a bunch of people making pasta on the field?

[superman321]

Who the fuck takes a home-made bomb to a bloody soccer match - one fucked in head wanker. Seriouslly, it is a game, a sports match, not war, or life and death. Those people need their heads seriously examined.

Good move to suspend the league and matches, send the message that if the fans don't behave then the privlige can be easily taken away and those morons are left with nothing.

[metallifreak27]

should ban soccer altogether IMO the way alot of the so called "fans" act

its pathetic

[Judge B]

I have to say that soccer is great sport, but it really should be banned if it matches go like this.

Really sad.

[Invaders]

should ban soccer altogether IMO the way alot of the so called "fans" act

its pathetic

Its called football, the only countries that call it soccer is those who hosts terrorists


And I dont see why we should ban football alltogether just because some dumbasses in italy is going mental...Its the biggest sport in the world


Will never understand why americans call NFL football when they only use their hands Should call it handball from now on

[Metallifold]

They must tighten the security. Metal detectors outside stadiums. More guards. Penalties must be longer. If you bring a weapon to a game, you should be banned from the entire league, forever.

This sucks, one of the best sports of the world has to suffer because of some idiots.

[Invaders]

I`ve been to a few footygames around europe now and atleast in hamburg and london they bodeysearched everyone. In newcastle and malaga I just walked strait in, could have carried a gun but once you got inside the stadium it was heaps of guards walking around. I would imagine that not even metaldetectors can stop those idiots if they first wants to make trouble. As far as I know this is a very rare sight in other european countries, only big tragedies I can think off must have been in belgium and england during the mid 80s when alot of people was stepped on and died because of too many inside the stadium

[Snow]

Personally I think its a long overdue poetic justice....now before you all jump and yell, hear me out.

In the 80's English teams were banned from competing in European compititions due to crowd problems (which incidentally are still discussed anytime the National team leave the UK!) The Italian and Spanish fans are as bad as the hooligans that spoilt our game in the 80's and yet they were no bans for any of their teams in any competitions.

So I say its about time that the whole world looked at football (I won't insult "the beautiful game" by calling it soccer - until I get to Canada of course ) and the hooligans that make up a small minority of the real fan bases for these clubs. Its the real fans that travel to the games that are getting the hard time here, those that carry homemade devices aren't football fans, anymore than the terrorists that we all condemn so readily.

They are there to start trouble, not watch a game, and lets make no bones about it thats what it is... A GAME, you can go down to most football pitches on a Sunday morning here and watch pub teams play, you don't see the finesse or flair but you will see commitment and honest football (most times ) No violence, no fighting before, after or during the game. The refs, don't get assaulted and forced to retire, players aren't shot because they scored an own goal (If that was the case I should have been riddled after one of the last games I played!!) and supporters aren't assaulted because their shirt is a different colour to someone else's.

End of rant, it's a sad fact that the policeman lost his life and I grieve for his family, but the Italians have gotten away with it far too long for it to become a new problem, they should have dealt with it back in the 80's like we had to.