Italian Football Does The Right Thing....,

[redrus]

From the Guardian on the latest Italian football crisis.

The Italian government has announced a series of tough measures to tighten security at football matches following the death of a policeman during a riot in Sicily on Friday.

After meeting sports authorities, the interior minister, Giuliano Amato, said arrest powers would be beefed up, Italian stadiums not in line with security norms would be forced to play games behind closed doors, and clubs would be banned from selling blocks of tickets to visiting teams.

Only five top-flight Italian stadiums meet the regulations demanded by 2005 legislation, including the use of cameras and turnstiles. The sports minister, Giovanna Melandri, said clubs would be more closely involved in the running of stadiums, which are mostly owned by local councils.

Italian football clubs will also be forbidden from forming financial relationships with militant supporters' groups. An announcement on the restart of the Italian football season, which was suspended at the weekend, will probably follow a meeting of the Italian cabinet later this week, when the new measures are formalised.

"I know it is excessive to have football played without a public, but it is even more excessive that someone should die for football," said Mr Amato.

Mr Amato and Ms Melandri rushed back to the meeting in Rome from Catania on Monday after joining hundreds of mourners at the funeral of police inspector Filippo Raciti. Mr Raciti's widow Marisa Grasso, accompanied by her two children, told the congregation she hoped her husband's death might help ring the changes in violence-ridden Italian football.

The Pope sent a telegram, in which he condemned "any violent gesture which stains the game of football".

Police continued to make arrests in Catania, including two men suspected of participating in the riot, which saw Mr Raciti fatally struck by a flying object.

Police also located a stash of arms yesterday hidden inside Catania's Massimino football stadium, the scene of the rioting. Baseball bats and iron balls, described by police as offensive weapons, were found in a room used by the stadium's caretaker, who was arrested after he tried to stop the raid by setting dogs on police officers.

Cupid stunts....!

redrus

[farangsay]

From the Guardian on the latest Italian football crisis.

The Italian government has announced a series of tough measures to tighten security at football matches following the death of a policeman during a riot in Sicily on Friday.

.......

Police also located a stash of arms yesterday hidden inside Catania's Massimino football stadium, the scene of the rioting. Baseball bats and iron balls, described by police as offensive weapons, were found in a room used by the stadium's caretaker, who was arrested after he tried to stop the raid by setting dogs on police officers.

Cupid stunts....!

redrus

Jeez , and we thought Millwall was a rough fixture

when we was kids.

[dantilley]

he tried to stop the raid by setting dogs on police officers.

Didn't hear this bit before, an absolute disgrace. Also I didn't realise that most stadia don't even have CCTV cameras in them, which is also very bad. Seems like Italian football is in a very bad way right now, the corruption scandal and now this...

[redrus]

Can only reiterate your sentiments dantilley.

I only hope that English Footballs time in the spotlight in both National and club Football, is over....! I'd now like to think that our moron's are in the minority as opposed to Italy's quite obvious majority...

redrus

[mrbojangles]

I posted about this the other day here http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=104724.

Maybe Chon can merge the posts into one

[redrus]

I posted about this the other day here http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=104724.

Maybe Chon can merge the posts into one

Its all in the title mate, I looked quickly down the list and nothing jumped at me re; the subject.....

redrus

[mrbojangles]

I posted about this the other day here http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=104724.

Maybe Chon can merge the posts into one

Its all in the title mate, I looked quickly down the list and nothing jumped at me re; the subject.....

redrus

What, the fact that Italians actually fighting didn't jump out at you

[redrus]

I posted about this the other day here http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=104724.

Maybe Chon can merge the posts into one

Its all in the title mate, I looked quickly down the list and nothing jumped at me re; the subject.....

redrus

What, the fact that Italians actually fighting didn't jump out at you

Der.......... Sarcasm.....

redrus

[redrus]

Italian police question teenager

By Lewis Rutledge -Sky Created on 8 Feb 2007

Italian police have announced they are questioning a 17-year-old boy over the death of a policeman in riots outside a football stadium last week.

The policeman died following the ill-tempered Sicilian derby between Catania and Palermo last Friday.

All matches were immediately suspended after the incident pending a security review and only the safest stadiums will be open to fans when matches resume this weekend.

A list is due to be released detailing which grounds will be allowed to open and which will have to play behind closed doors until they improve security.

Regulations include closed-circuit television surveillance, numbered seating and electronic turnstiles.

Other new security measures include a ban on the block sale of tickets to away fans, a beefing-up of stadium bans for those involved in violence (including under 18s), and tougher jail terms.

Firecrackers will no longer be allowed inside stadiums and, for the time being at least, there will be no late-night matches.

Celtic (supposedly in Milan early March) and the Scots (Bari in late March) national team games are all being brought into question. It seems the the two games may be moved or played behind closed doors.

An annoying prospect for some of the most liked fans the world over, now being punished for the Italians wrong doings....

Celtic V Milan Link.

Scotland V Italy Link.

redrus