Serbian hooligan sentenced to over 3 years in prison for role in stadium riots in Italy

Serbian hooligan sentenced to over 3 years in prison for role in stadium riots in Italy

2011-03-09 03:18:43 GMT+7 (ICT)

GENOA, ITALY (BNO NEWS) -- A Serbian hooligan on Tuesday was sentenced ton over three years in prison for his role in the riots at an Italian stadium during a football match, ANSA news agency reported.

Ivan Bogdanov, 29, also known as "Ivan the Terrible," is the ringleader of Serbian hooligans that perpetrated violent acts during and after the October 12 Euro 2012 qualifier between Italy and Serbia in Genoa.

A Genoa court sentenced Bogdanov to 39 months of imprisonment and will be deported after serving his prison term. In addition, three other Serbian hooligans were sentenced to prison terms ranging from two and a half to three years.

On October 12, 2010, the Euro 2012 qualifier match between Italy and Serbia was suspended after seven minutes of game due to crowd trouble. Serbian supporters threw objects on to the pitch and attempted to break down barriers between them and the pitch even.

The match's kickoff was delayed for forty minutes due to the falling objects. The hooligans also unfurled a banner reading "Kosovo is Serbia." After the mathc began, the troublemakers began throwing flares on to the pitch, at the Italy goalkeeper Emiliano Viviano and into the home supporters' enclosure.

Craig Thomson, the Scottish referee, ruled that the conditions for continuing the game were not adequate and suspended the match. Thomson told both sides that the safety of the players was at risk.

Both players and staff members agreed and quickly left the pitch. The Serbian supporters fought with police outside the stadium, before and after the match, and attacked the Serbia's team bus.

Bogdanov was identified as the ringleader of the hooligans due to his arm tattoos. Photographs showed a masked Beogdanov sitting on a pitch-line barrier making obscene gestures as he cut away a safety net that prevented objects being thrown, inciting violence.

The Serbian national was arrested following violent clashes with Genoa's police late into the night. He was found inside the trunk of a bus. During questioning, he confirmed that much of the fans' anger was directed at Serbia's goalkeeper Vladimir Stojkovic.

Stojkovic sparked the hooligans' anger after he signed for Partizan Belgrade in 2010. He began his career at the city rivals Red Star. He received several threats including obscene phone calls, insulting banners, and fake printed obituaries.

The goalkeeper decided to withdraw from the national squad following the attack at the team bus. The Serbian Football Association and UEFA initiated an investigation into the issue. Italy were awarded a 3-0 win by UEFA as a result of the match suspension.

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