Italian football suspended following violence in Sicily (3)

The Italian Olympic Committee (CONI) will meet the government on Monday to decide when Italian football can resume. All domestic and international matches were suspended indefinitely on Friday after a police officer was killed during clashes between fans in Sicily.

CONI met on Sunday to discuss ways to solve the crisis and urged clubs to break off relations with violent fans. Other proposals included forcing clubs to adopt stricter anti-hooligan measures by the start of next season.

CONI President Gianni Petrucci said that if clubs did not agree to the new guidelines - which would see more controls imposed on tickets and an increase in use of closed circuit cameras - they would not be able to host games.

He also confirmed that the planned elections for a new President of the Italian Football Federation (FIGC) would be postponed, keeping Luca Pancalli in his place for another 9 months. Pancalli was assigned in 2006 after Guido Rossi resigned due to a conflict of interests when he took charge of Telecom Italia.

The FIGC and Italy's Minister of Sport Giovanna Melandri will also be at Monday's meeting.

The plans proposed to the Government will be based around four specific points. Firstly, the immediate implementation of a Federal section used only to check and release licences for stadiums.

Second, refusing the licence of 2007-08 for stadiums that are not up to code for the Legge Pisanu, forcing the clubs to play in another city or behind closed doors.

Extending the coverage of security to the area around the stadiums, where most of the crowd trouble tends to break out, and interrupting the relationship between directors, coaches and players with the Ultra'.

The Legge Pisanu rule was introduced last year and all stadiums were supposed to be up to code before starting this season, but to date only four arenas fit the bill – the Stadio Giuseppe Meazza in Milan, Rome’s Stadio Olimpico, the Stadio Renzo Barbera in Palermo and the Stadio Olimpico in Turin.

The FIGC's extraordinary commissioner Luca Pancalli said the delay in announcing new measures was a sign of respect for the police officer, Filippo Raciti, whose funeral is scheduled for Monday in Sicily.

Pancalli said: "I will not budge from my decision to suspend the championship until Monday after I have discussed important matters with the government. Any decision will in any case be delayed until after the funeral."

The Italian Prime Minister Romano Prodi has already promised "robust" measures to curb the violence. Prodi called for "a remedy that makes clubs feel responsible and radically changes the situation".

The new UEFA President, Michel Platini, backed the decision to halt football in Italy. He said the violence had deepened concern about hooliganism in football. Platini compared it to recent incidents involving French and Dutch fans, and said everyone involved in football must work together to eradicate violence from the game.

"We must now work together with the Italian football authorities and politicians in support of the Italian game, and find a solution to this spiral of violence that is plaguing European football," he said.

The violence occurred at the Serie A Sicilian derby game between Catania and Palermo. Police fired teargas to control fighting between fans before, during and after Friday's match.

Raciti died from his injuries after a home-made bomb exploded in his face outside Catania's Stadio Angelo Massimino. About 70 people were injured in the clashes, and another police officer is believed to be in a critical condition.

On Saturday police raided several different Catania fan clubs to weed out the more hardline elements. So far 22 people are under arrest.

Prodi told reporters he would hold a meeting on Monday with Interior Minister Giuliano Amato and Sports Minister Giovanna Melandri to agree on "robust" measures against football violence. "We cannot continuously put the lives of police officers at risk," he told reporters on Saturday.

Raciti's death has prompted outrage from Italian politicians and the suspension of all amateur and professional games - including Wednesday's friendly against Romania - by the FIGC.

"A strong signal was needed until we find measures to prevent certain episodes," said Pancalli.

Pancalli had warned earlier this week that more violence would bring a halt to league matches after clashes between supporters and police in several cities last Sunday. "We will immediately set up a commission to discuss the situation between sport and politics. It's not possible to carry on like this."

The head of the Italian Footballers' Association (AIC), Sergio Campana, called for the leagues to be halted for at least a year.

CONI said a minute's silence would be held before all Italian sports events over the weekend.

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