Atalanta refuse to pay for security
The debate is now raging between clubs and the Government over who must fit the bill for policing the fans.
The unions have warned they won’t send thousands of police officers to stadiums every weekend until the Legge Pisanu recommendations are implemented following the death of 38-year-old Chief Inspector Filippo Raciti at the hands of Catania Ultra’ last night.
"The clubs are not responsible. If the police were to pull out of security in games, then many clubs would go bankrupt," insisted Atalanta President Ivan Ruggeri.
"Let’s not forget that around 80 per cent of the money generated by football goes into the State coffers, so they have a responsibility to help us. If not, then it’s best to close the stadiums forever."
The FIGC has ordered an immediate cessation of all football activity in Italy until further notice, but again Ruggeri disagrees with this decision.
"Taking a break for a week to remember the victim of violence is right, but that’s enough. What would we achieve by not playing the games?"
Another suggested option is to play all the remaining fixtures this season behind closed doors, giving the Government, clubs and police time to complete the restructuring work on stadiums that should have already been done according to the Legge Pisanu rulings.
However, an academic who has studied the Ultra’ fan culture in Italy insists they should harness the positive aspects of these organisations rather than eradicate them entirely.
"This is one of the worst days of my life, but those images have nothing to do with the history, roots, philosophy and mentality of the Ultras," noted Vincenzo Abbatantuono, author of the book ‘Stories of adolescent Ultras.’
"The violence that eventually reaches the murder in Catania involves very young men without a political conscience. It’s more similar to the spontaneous urban riots seen in the French suburbs.
"Between the Calciopoli scandal, insistence on analysing every detail of the games and exasperating debates on television, it all acts as fuel to the fire of impressionable minds. It was incredible yesterday to see while a man lay dying there were two club directors blaming each other for the rioting."
The Ultra’ are highly organised in Italy, but Abbatantuono believes they can be brought further into club affairs rather than shut out.
"We need to increase the dialogue that already exists and bring them into the loop, because trying to isolate the bad apples with repressive police tactics will not work. Dialogue is the only path to discovering the positive aspects of these movements, such as their charity work."
He concluded with an appeal to the Ultra’ to work alongside the clubs and security forces to set up the English-style steward systems.
"We have to ask ourselves if we want to continue enjoying this sport and battling against those corrupt men who only think of making money. It’s a choice between life and suicide. To live, we must start showing the best part of our nature and lay down our arms."
Source: C4 Football Italia
The unions have warned they won’t send thousands of police officers to stadiums every weekend until the Legge Pisanu recommendations are implemented following the death of 38-year-old Chief Inspector Filippo Raciti at the hands of Catania Ultra’ last night.
"The clubs are not responsible. If the police were to pull out of security in games, then many clubs would go bankrupt," insisted Atalanta President Ivan Ruggeri.
"Let’s not forget that around 80 per cent of the money generated by football goes into the State coffers, so they have a responsibility to help us. If not, then it’s best to close the stadiums forever."
The FIGC has ordered an immediate cessation of all football activity in Italy until further notice, but again Ruggeri disagrees with this decision.
"Taking a break for a week to remember the victim of violence is right, but that’s enough. What would we achieve by not playing the games?"
Another suggested option is to play all the remaining fixtures this season behind closed doors, giving the Government, clubs and police time to complete the restructuring work on stadiums that should have already been done according to the Legge Pisanu rulings.
However, an academic who has studied the Ultra’ fan culture in Italy insists they should harness the positive aspects of these organisations rather than eradicate them entirely.
"This is one of the worst days of my life, but those images have nothing to do with the history, roots, philosophy and mentality of the Ultras," noted Vincenzo Abbatantuono, author of the book ‘Stories of adolescent Ultras.’
"The violence that eventually reaches the murder in Catania involves very young men without a political conscience. It’s more similar to the spontaneous urban riots seen in the French suburbs.
"Between the Calciopoli scandal, insistence on analysing every detail of the games and exasperating debates on television, it all acts as fuel to the fire of impressionable minds. It was incredible yesterday to see while a man lay dying there were two club directors blaming each other for the rioting."
The Ultra’ are highly organised in Italy, but Abbatantuono believes they can be brought further into club affairs rather than shut out.
"We need to increase the dialogue that already exists and bring them into the loop, because trying to isolate the bad apples with repressive police tactics will not work. Dialogue is the only path to discovering the positive aspects of these movements, such as their charity work."
He concluded with an appeal to the Ultra’ to work alongside the clubs and security forces to set up the English-style steward systems.
"We have to ask ourselves if we want to continue enjoying this sport and battling against those corrupt men who only think of making money. It’s a choice between life and suicide. To live, we must start showing the best part of our nature and lay down our arms."
Source: C4 Football Italia
posted by italian calcio blog at 7:17 pm
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