Yotalia says “enough already”. The ‘Calcio’, always mistreated and stigmatized by the violence of the Ultra groups in the stands and in the streets, stands in the face of the latest incidents carried out by the most radical groups of some of the Serie A teams. If a few days ago Lazio’s Curva Nord closed a match for the racist chants to Umtiti and Banda, now the ultras of Napoli and Rome staged an unfortunate incident in the middle of a highway.
“Maximum severity with violent fans”, quotes ‘ANSA’ Matteo Piantedosi, Minister of the Interior of the Government of Italy. With it, Abodi, Minister of Sports, prepares a series of contingencies to avoid the re-producing of images like the ones that were disseminated throughout the world in the preview of the Milan-Rome game last weekend.
An ambush that ‘avoided’ a pitched battle
The duel between Napoli and Rome is historic. The one known as ‘Sun Derby’ (or ‘Derby del Sud’) is the framework in which one of the hottest rivalries in the center-south of the transalpine country is framed. A few days ago there was a new example… and that they did not face each other.
Napoli fans traveled north to Genoa; Roma fans too, to Milan. The calendar had provided a Sampdoria – Napoli and a Milan – Rome that, a priori, should not provide confrontations… (and that the rivalry between Curves of Milan and Rome is notorious) But it was not like that. There was the And fat.
As reported by ‘Corriere della Sera’, citing sources from Los Digos (the police in charge of security in the ‘Calcio’ stands), the Napoli Ultras had planned a real pitched battle in Gnvoa… against four other hobbies: Sampdoria, Bari, Ternana and Verona. All ‘hooligan’ style and reminiscing about the eighties, traveling thousands of kilometers just to participate in a street brawl.
However, the Napoli ultras (more than 300) never made it to Genoa. Along the way they changed plans and a few hours before confronted a caravan of Roma fans at the Badia al Pino service station (the same one in which Gabriele Sandri, a Lazio fan, died in 2007, after being shot by a policeman who tried to disperse Ultras from Juventus and Lazio), in an A1 that was cut off for 50 minutes due to the clashes. There was one wounded by a knife, a Roma fan.
These ‘brawl west’ facts need to be resolved. It’s shameful what happened
GravinaPresident of the Italian Football Federation, is clear: “Some sanctions need to be much stricter and more effective. These ‘brawl west’ facts need to be resolved. It’s shameful what happened.”
The measures to take
As ‘Sky Sport Italia’ explains, Italy’s government already plans specific travel bans based on the observatory’s indications about sporting events. At this point, there is even a debate about the permanent travel ban for certain hobbies, the most violent.
In addition, Serie A to work so that in future calendars crossovers of hobbies that could lead to clashes like the one that occurred last weekend are avoided. This same January 13th, a Napoli – Juventus event considered to be at risk is taking place… and that could already include some other restriction.
“There is a huge difference between the fans who go to the stadium, home or away, to sing, hug, rejoice or suffer for their team… and the criminals who face each other in a service station on the highway creating problems for decent people“, declares Abodi, Minister of Sports of Italy.
Italy stands up to the violence of the Ultras: “We must avoid the fights of the West”