Reaction

All the reaction since Friday's violence (new interviews are added at the bottom)...

Palermo coach Francesco Guidolin
Palermo coach Francesco Guidolin blamed Catania fans for the ‘war zone’ atmosphere and warned football "can’t carry on like this" in his reaction straight after the match.

"We won the match on the pitch – or rather both matches, seeing as there was a 30-minute gap – but we cannot enjoy this victory. Football cannot last for much longer like this. There will be no joy in it, there’s no point."

"I don’t know who started it, but I did see what happened since we arrived in Catania," explained a clearly shaken Guidolin. "We were escorted to and from the hotel for two days by 50 police officers, as if we were in a war zone. I was in the team bus that was pelted with eggs, vegetables and rocks. It’s not possible for this uncivilised treatment in the 21st Century."

"We all have to try to calm down the situation around football now. The press and coaches must steer away from the banality of their post-match comments that only serve to stir up violence and ill-feeling."

Taking the first step, Guidolin admitted that both Palermo’s goals in the 2-1 win should probably have been disallowed. "I hold up my hands – we were aided by two incidents that went our way, just as last week we were damaged by moments going against us. I have never criticised the referee and never will."


Catania President Antonio Pulvirenti
In reaction to the violence inside the Stadio Massimino, Catania President Antonio Pulvirenti blamed Palermo fans for the riots.

"Clearly the incidents were provoked by the Palermo fans when they entered the stadium. Before then, nothing had happened, but they started causing trouble and as the images show threw tear gas on to the pitch," insisted Pulvirenti.

Pulvirent was unaware a police officer was killed outside and that over a 100 were injured.

"They were well-organised and came here in order to cause trouble. We feel penalised and will appeal against the result so that the match will be considered void. We’ve been punished for less in the past and demand the same treatment.

"I was on the field and, if you look carefully, the section where the tear gas came from only had Palermo fans in there. The officials saw what happened and will take action."

Pulvirenti continued to back his fans. "I will not put any blame on to the Catania supporters. I didn’t see them do anything wrong."

The Catania President did not help calm the situation outside with his post-match comments on the football itself. "The first goal was offside and the second had a handling offence, so the referee dominated the game on a very bad day at the office. We played against 12 men today and lost because we were playing against the referee."


Catania director Pietro Lo Monaco
Catania director Pietro Lo Monaco broke the news of the policeman’s death and was visibly shaken. "We’ve been told by our security services from the hospital that a police officer has died as a result of the crowd trouble.

"I have intensely loved football my whole life and I no longer recognise myself in this sport. With this news, I will leave football, it’s not for me any more. This isn’t football, this isn’t football, this isn’t football."


AIC President Sergio Campana
The Italian Footballers’ Association (AIC) has urged the suspension of Italian football Leagues for a whole year after the latest tragic incidents.

"Football should stop for a year to reflect on all the evil that comes from it. The culture that surrounds our sport is wrong and has to be revolutionised. We need patience for that to happen and maybe passing on to another generation," said AIC President Sergio Campana.

"I think that faced with these events, football should stop for a year and see if we can change our whole approach to sport," continued Campana.

"We have for some time been pointing out that there are weekly attacks on players because they lose a game. This means the very culture of sport in this country is wrong. Right when football is trying to rediscover its credibility after Calciopoli, this sort of thing leaves us dumbfounded."


Sports Minister Giovanna Melandri
"The death of a policeman in Catania and the many injuries as a result of this riot is a disturbing turn of events that calls for drastic measures," said Minister for Sport Giovanna Melandri.

"The Government will no longer tolerate the need for thousands of police officers in every match to ensure the safety of its citizens. Along with the Home Office Minister Giuliano Amato, we consider the suspension of the next round of games to be an opportune decision by the FIGC.

"The Government and the world of sport must come together now to make sure the Leagues begin again in a totally different way."


Catania President Antonio Pulvirenti
Catania President Antonio Pulvirenti has suggested ending his tenure after he learned that their fans caused the death of a police officer. "Finding out about this death was incredible," said the patron who had bitterly criticised the referee and blamed Palermo fans for the trouble straight after the 2-1 defeat last night.

"In the press room I was commenting on the game and the result, while outside all this was happening."

In response to the tragedy, the FIGC has ordered a halt to all football in Italy "indefinitely". "There shouldn’t be football in Catania, because it’s all turned to dust by actions like this. A man died and it’s meaningless to talk about football."

"I am enormously upset at this and at this moment in time I intend to call it quits. It cannot be an immediate move purely for administrative reasons, but from tonight this sport no longer fits with me."


Club websites
Catania closed down their official website, leaving only a message on the home page. "We apologise, but it seems truly absurd to be writing about football at this time. Our thoughts are exclusively with the family of Chief Inspector Raciti, who lost his life trying to safeguard the public during a match."

Most of the other clubs around Italy have posted messages of condolence and support on their websites for the course of action taken by the Federation.

"Massimo Moratti and all of F.C. Internazionale embrace the family, friends and colleagues of Filippo Raciti and totally share the FIGC’s decision to stop the Championship," read the Inter site.

"All of A.C. Milan express their condolences in the most heartfelt and sincere way to the family of Chief Inspector Filippo Raciti, who died during the guerrilla warfare that broke out for the match between Catania and Palermo."

Juventus had this note on their website; "The sad news from Catania has led the comissioner of the Italian Football Federation, Luca Pancalli, to suspend all footballing activity across Italy. For this reason, Juventus will not be playing their game against Rimini tomorrow. This incident - announced Juventus chairman Giovanni Cobolli Gigli - calls for a time of serious reflection and we must act decisively to see that football returns to the hands of lovers of sport. Juventus joins in mourning for the death of Inspector Raciti and gives its full support for the decision of Commisioner Pancalli to suspend all championship games."


Palermo President Maurizio Zamparini
Palermo President Maurizio Zamparini said the Sicilian derby riots were "a defeat for football."

"I consider those who go to the stadium to have fights to be delinquents and nothing more," noted Zamparini. "I have said since the moment I arrived at Palermo that if there were any serious incidents inside the stadium, I would immediately leave the club.

"Nobody won tonight. It was a defeat for football and for all of us. At this moment, my heart goes out to the family of that poor man."

The Palermo fans and the entire squad was kept inside the Stadio Massimino for several hours after the final whistle, as Catania supporters continued to clash with the police. "We weren’t told anything, we just had to stay in the locker room and wait for news," explained coach Francesco Guidolin.

"If we don’t get it into our heads that football is a sport, then we really won’t have room to breathe. What happened here offends sport and a beautiful, civilised city like Catania."


Lega Calcio President Antonio Matarrese
Italian Football League (Lega Calcio) President Antonio Matarrese led the chorus of approval for the decision to halt football in Italy following the death of a police officer on Friday. "For all of us it is a terrible moment, as we come together to cry for the death of this young agent," said Matarrese.

"Never more so than now, football must stop and take a good long look at itself. We have to reflect on what the future holds,” added Matarrese.


Italian Prime Minister Romano Prodi
Prime Minister Romano Prodi has asked for a strong signal that football-related violence will not be tolerated. "After the incredibly serious incidents that took place in Catania, our first thoughts go to those who were caught up in it and to their families," said Prime Minister Prodi.

"But straight after that I feel it my duty to say we need a strong and clear signal to avoid the degeneration of sport, which unfortunately we are forced to witness with increasing intensity."

Political parties from all sides are now calling for an English-style system of policing the Ultra’ in a bid to eradicate the growing hooliganism problem in Italy. New laws had already been introduced this season, but proved to be ineffective.


Mayor of Catania Umberto Scapagnini
"What has happened is monstrous. I am without words. This is absurd, unthinkable and totally unacceptable," noted Mayor of Catania Umberto Scapagnini.


Italian President Giorgio Napolitano
The President of the Republic Giorgio Napolitano released a statement on the shameful incidents. "Struck by the severity of the rioting and the astonishing number of injured among the police and citizens, President of the Republic Giorgio Napolitano reaffirms that the condemnation for the dramatic rise in football-related violence must be accompanied by responsible choices and behaviour.

"We cannot have the values of sport and the civil conscience of the country sullied in this way."


Ministry of Sport undersecretary Giovanni Lolli
The increased number of injuries among police at matches is because the existing anti-violence laws are "not being upheld," claims a Government Minister.

The issue of football-related violence was meant to have been addressed last year with the introduction of the so-called Legge Pisanu. Criticised as ‘Draconian’ by many of the leading Ultra’, it required CCTV inside every stadium, the presence of stewards to control supporters and named tickets for specific seats.

However, so far this season the number of injuries among fans may have dropped dramatically, but only because of the rise in casualties among the police. "There were 142 injured police officers in football-related violence last season, compared to 202 this year – an increase of 42 per cent," explained undersecretary for the Ministry of Sport Giovanni Lolli.

"The measures set out by the previous Government were effective, but they weren’t implemented. In order to follow England’s example with the hooligan problem, we would need a different penal system."

"First of all, we must take repressive measures against these delinquents and completely transform our stadiums," continued Lolli.

"Finally, the reconstruction of our sporting culture, which our country lacks to such a degree that we must start from school level."


Interior Minister Giuliano Amato
The Home Office has blamed the clubs and football authorities for a "laissez-faire attitude" to controlling the Ultra’. "There has been too much of a laissez-faire attitude and an unacceptable indulgence. My men are risking their lives here and in these conditions I won’t send them to games," said Home Office Minister Giuliano Amato.

The Legge Pisanu was supposed to clamp down on violence in Italian football, but over a year on from the law’s inception, only a handful of stadiums are up to code.

CCTV systems are not in place, named tickets aren’t checked regularly and the clubs have not provided enough stewards to police the fans in the Curva.

"This situation can be tracked back to an increased number of ‘at risk’ games, the persistent conflict between violent factions of some fanbases and the desperate need to complete restructuring work on some stadiums. In the case of the latter, police are called in to make up for those weaknesses."

The main problem in this case appears to be the on-going debate over who is responsible for the upkeep of the stadiums. In Italy, the arenas are owned and run by the local council, but rented out to clubs for the matches. The Legge Pisanu hands the sides the responsibility of policing their own fans with specially paid stewards, but so far few have implemented the recommendations.

Also, the authorities have repeatedly allowed delays in the restructuring work for the stadiums.

"There was an under-estimation of how bad the situation was by accepting delays in bringing the arenas up to code," said Silp-Cgil union chief Claudio Giardullo.

"Above all, there was an indulgence when it came to the relationship between the clubs and their fans, a rapport that still needs to be examined. At the end of it all we, as usual, end up paying the price."

It has long been known that the Ultra’ wield a great deal of power with the clubs. Players often meet with the fans and attend the funerals of the leading figures in the hard-line faction of these supporters.

Last week Sicilian club Messina fired coach Bruno Giordano after a meeting between President Pietro Franza and the Ultra’ leaders.


FIGC Commissioner Luca Pancalli
FIGC Commissioner Luca Pancalli has been given extra time to work on crowd violence and pointed out there won’t be any quick-fix solutions. "Football needs all its elements to come together and make strong headway so that events like this cannot be repeated. My decision may have upset some, and you could say it was wrong, but morally I had no other choice," said Pancalli.

Pancalli was only meant to be a temporary figure at the head of the FIGC, placed there after Guido Rossi resigned due to a conflict of interests when he took over Telecom Italia, but on Saturday the Italian Olympic Committee (CONI) confirmed his tenure had been extended.

"I would’ve preferred not to require this show of faith in my regard," he added. "I will do my duty responsibly until the positive effects come through."

"We are giving a strong signal by stopping, but now we need the Government’s help. These are moments in which we risk slipping into rhetorical speech, but nobody has the solution to this in their pockets," continued Pancalli. "When someone dies, you can’t put the responsibility only on to football’s shoulders. We did what we could, but sport can only reach a certain threshold and the Government must take on the rest. Whoever has an idea should come forward."


Italy coach Roberto Donadoni
Italy coach Roberto Donadoni supports the decision to call off the friendly match with Romania after the riots in Catania. "It’s not up to me to give advice, but the choices that were made after Friday night’s events were the opportune decisions," said Donadoni.

The coach will no longer have this opportunity to experiment ahead of the crucial Euro 2008 qualifier against Scotland on March 28.

"I share these choices and don’t believe that the Nazionale can be considered a separate case. It wasn’t right for football to continue, even if egotistically I must admit it takes away some very important chances for me.

"When faced with certain incidents, you can’t even stop and think, the suspension was inevitable. Now we must ensure this proves to be a decisive turn of events and make a concrete difference."


Police officer Salvatore Renda
The dynamics of the rioting are becoming clear. Chief Inspector Filippo Raciti died as a result of inhaling the noxious fumes from a homemade bomb – perhaps teargas – that exploded in the vicinity of his vehicle when the Catania fans tried to attack the Palermo supporters who arrived at the Stadio Massimino for the second half.

"We were escorting a group of Palermo fans to the Massimino when suddenly we were ambushed by the Catania Ultra’," revealed 24-year-old police officer Salvatore Renda from his hospital bed.

"They threw everything at us. It was definitely an organised ambush, like guerrilla warfare. All of a sudden you couldn’t breathe, I felt ill and lost consciousness.

"In hospital I was told of Raciti’s death. It’s a tragedy, everyone respected him and I know his wife too. It’s ridiculous to lose your life for a football game."


UEFA President Michel Platini
New UEFA President Michel Platini has assured he’ll work alongside the FIGC to solve the growing problems of fan violence. "Firstly I extend my heartfelt personal condolences, together with those of the entire European football family, to the family of the police officer, Filippo Raciti, who lost his life yesterday,” said Platini.

"Violence of any sort is unacceptable and it has absolutely no place in the game of football - we do not condone it, we must not accept it and we must act to eradicate it. That is why today UEFA offers its whole-hearted support for the actions taken by the FIGC's extraordinary commissioner, Luca Pancalli, to indefinitely suspend all international and domestic matches until further notice.

"Following the death of a Paris Saint-Germain supporter last year and the rioting of Feyenoord fans in Nancy, this latest episode further deepens our concern about violence creeping back into the game,” continued the new UEFA President.

"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," concluded Mr Platini.


Livorno President Aldo Spinelli
Livorno President Aldo Spinelli believes Italy should follow England’s 1980s example in cracking down on hooligans. "I think that the whole industry undoubtedly has to change. We must have humility and follow the English model. If they managed to solve the problems in England, where they had the worst hooligans in the world, then we have to copy their system step by step."

While clubs are hesitant to adopt the use of stewards and police do not have the jurisdiction to hold arrested troublemakers for more than a few days, another element of England’s post-Heysel revolution was the five-year ban from European competition.

"That also forced the clubs not to be so dependent on television rights, so it’s another element of the system we must adopt," added the Livorno patron.

However, he expressed pessimism over FIGC Chief Luca Pancalli’s decision to stop football in Italy. "This is a very delicate matter and it was right to stop this weekend, but now we have to look to the future. You cannot just halt such an important industry as football. There were millions of people who were ready and made plans to go to the games."

Spinelli has first hand experience of the violence, as he was President of Genoa when fan Vincenzo Spagnolo was stabbed to death by Milan supporters in February 1995 – the last time the Leagues were suspended. "I don’t know how the two incidents were related, if at all. Unfortunately, the Sicilian derby hasn’t been played in Serie A for over 30 years and we know their rivalry goes beyond football. Decisions need to be made, although by someone far higher up the ranking than me," concluded Spinelli.


Palermo President Maurizio Zamparini
Palermo President Maurizio Zamparini insists the suspension of football in Italy won’t solve anything. "The decision to halt the Championships was needed out of respect to a man who lost his life, but it won’t solve anything," said the Rosanero chief.

"While there is impunity for delinquents in this country, we’ll get nowhere. What I expect to see now are the usual empty words, preaching and not much action. A decade ago Margaret Thatcher destroyed the hooligans in England, now we have to see if the Government and authorities have the real desire to do the same.

"Stopping all of football won’t solve the problem. We just need to identify the delinquents, put them in prison and keep them there," continued Zamparini.

"It’s absurd that someone can be arrested for such serious offences and then released the next day. I do not agree with those who say football is at an end. It’s a society that allows people to charge at the police and throw bottles when they are just trying to do their duty."

The Palermo President also joined the chorus of figures calling for the implementation of hard English-style rules against hooligans. "These were not fans, they were criminals that in countries like England are arrested and severely punished. Italians and their laissez-faire attitude allow this sort of thing to happen."

However, he protested at the use of stewards inside the ground – paid for and organised by the clubs – to control the supporters. "It’s pointless people saying the clubs have to resolve the problem. What are we supposed to do? All we can do is make appeals, but it’s not enough, you need strict laws. Suspending games isn’t the solution, we have to find those responsible and ensure they see justice."


Catania coach Pasquale Marino
Catania coach Pasquale Marino believes the ‘fans’ who attacked Palermo supporters and police last night had no interest in football. "The Tifosi in Catania are passionate, but in one night the image of an entire city has been destroyed."

"They weren’t fans, they were criminals, pure and simple. If you wait for the Palermo supporters outside the stadium, it means you have no interest in the football. We knew there was trouble outside, but we thought it was the usual scuffles, so we couldn’t imagine the extent of the tragedy unfolding.

"What happened has its roots deep in the past,” explained Marino. “There are kids who already feel hatred for the fans of another city. I want to tell them to think now about the children of Raciti who have been left without a father.”


Serie C President Mario Macalli
Italian football should be suspended for two years to put an end to the violence, insists Serie C Lega Calcio President Mario Macalli. "A week won’t make any difference. We have to stop for a year or two," announced the representative of the Third Division clubs.

"The only solution is to stay out of sport until necessary, even if that means two years, because this is no longer football," slammed Macalli.

"Those charlatans must learn to keep quiet for once. Last week a man in the amateur Leagues was beaten to death, has that been forgotten already? Have you never seen the youth team games in the mornings? There are commentators out there who haven’t been to a match in 30 years and are still expressing their opinions on it.

"Pancalli did very well to suspend the sport, but seven days won’t achieve anything. There simply aren’t the conditions allowing us to continue our work. The solution has to be found within the Government, as when they pass a law, they must then force it to be respected.

"The English system for clamping down on hooligans worked because they took it seriously. When someone makes a mistake there, they pay the price, but in Italy nobody ever pays. The Curva is a law unto itself and for too long the media has aided, abetted and even applauded the use of flares and insulting banners."

Source: C4 Football Italia