ITALY: SOCCER - Italy tells soccer clubs to isolate hooligans or risk ban, delays review of soccer suspension till after funeral of policeman

Italy's top sporting body has said stadiums which fail to adopt anti-hooliganism measures could be banned from staging matches next seasons. The Italian Olympic Committee said they would wait until after the funeral on Monday of a policeman killed in soccer riots to review its decision on suspending all soccer in the country. Stadiums which fail to adopt tougher anti-hooliganism measures could be banned from staging matches next season, Italy's top sporting body said on Sunday (February 4) following the death of a policeman on Friday (February 2). At an emergency meeting after all soccer in Italy had been suspended indefinitely the Italian Olympic Committee (CONI), also urged clubs to break off all relations with violent fans. CONI and soccer officials said they would wait until after a meeting with the government on Monday before deciding how long the suspension would last. Luca Pancalli, commissioner of the Italian socer federation, said the delay was also a sign of respect for Filippo Raciti, whose funeral is scheduled for Monday (February 5) in Sicily. All soccer matches from children's leagues to the national team's friendly against Romania on Wednesday have been cancelled while the sporting authorities and politicians consider the new measures. CONI president Gianni Petrucci told a news conference after the meeting that clubs whose stadiums do not adopt stricter anti-hooligan measures, including greater ticket controls and more closed circuit cameras, would not be able to host games. He said they would have to implement the changes by the start of the next season. The meeting, which was less conclusive than some commentators had wanted, followed national outrage over the death of Raciti in the Sicilian city of Catania at a derby with arch-rivals Palermo on Friday night. Although brawls at Italian stadiums are common, the riots shocked a nation still basking in the glow of its World Cup victory last year. Prime Minister Romano Prodi, who has promised radical measures, will meet top ministers on Monday (February 5) to formulate new measures and Interior Minister Guiliano Amato will address Parliament on Tuesday (February 6). After the game in Catania, hooded fans chased police vans and hurled flares and fireworks, one of which exploded in the face of the 38-year-old Raciti, who died in hospital. More than 70 people were injured. Much of the violence is blamed on radical football supporters called "ultras" who have resisted any measures to control their behaviour. The shock went far beyond Sicily. Raciti was the 13th person to be killed in or around Italy's football stadiums since 1962. The last fatality at a First Division match was in 1995 when a Genoa fan was stabbed to death before a game against AC Milan. The championship was suspended for day at the time. In a sign of mourning, city-wide festivities for the feast of Catania's patron Saint Agatha were scaled down. Many residents had called for the whole feast to be scrapped.

ITN Source | February 5, 2007

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