Five Serie A stadiums off-limits when league resumes


dpa German Press Agency
Published: Tuesday February 6, 2007

Milan- Five Serie A teams are likely to play matches behind closed doors after the Italian government this week introduces new anti-hooligans measures, La Gazzetta dello Sport reported Tuesday. A cabinet meeting Wednesday is to pass a decree with immediate effect aimed at cracking down on football hooligans while improving general safety inside and outside stadiums.

Football violence became a national issue last weekend when hooligans killed a policeman outside the Angelo Massimino stadium in Catania during the Sicily derby between the home side and Palermo.

The death of Filippo Raciti, 38, Friday prompted the suspension of all weekend games by the Italian football federation (FIGC).

Raciti was the 15th victim of football violence in Italy since 1962. His death followed by a week that of Ermanno Licursi, the 41-year-old manager of an amateur team who was killed in the southern region of Calabria as he tried to pacify an after-game clash.

Prime Minister Romano Prodi and two of his ministers Monday held a meeting with FIGC and the Italian Olympic committee (CONI), laying down the measures that the government is to ratify Wednesday.

No fans will be allowed in the stadiums of Ascoli, Atalanta, Catania, Chievo Verona and Udinese, where the public has been allowed thanks to a dispensation.

Nine other stadiums are likely to be accessible only for part of their capacity - a list including the Giuseppe Meazza of AC Milan and Inter Milan, and Fiorentina's Artemio Franchi.

Only the Stadio Olimpico in Rome and those of Palermo, Siena and Turin comply with safety requirements. Bologna is the only Serie B side playing in a safe stadium.

Other measures are the banning of fans from games as a preventive measure and the prohibition of selling of tickets in bulk to clubs playing away games. Clubs will also be invited to sever their ties with the violent fringes of their fans.

Policemen will be deployed only outside the stadiums, where stewards will be in charge of order.

FIGC president Luca Pancalli late Monday said that "if the initiatives laid out (with the government) will be maintained in the decree, I think that the leagues can start again Sunday."

His decision to halt football and the proposal to play some games behind closed doors was criticized by some clubs citing heavy losses.

Antonio Matarrese, president of the League of football clubs (Lega Calcio) called the authors of the proposals "hotheaded and irresponsible."

CONI indicted him for saying that "deaths in football unfortunately are part of this huge movement, which the police are not yet able to control," a statement he later denied.

© 2006 dpa German Press Agency