The Italian disease

All soccer in Italy has been suspended until further notice because the hooliganism that has plagued the game in the country for the last few years resulted in the death of a policeman. In many ways, it's surprising there haven't been more deaths.

There was crowd trouble outside a match between Catania and Palermo, the two biggest clubs in Sicily. There was violence outside the stadium when visiting Palermo supporters could not gain admission until halftime. Police used tear gas to break up the protesters. The tear gas drifted into the stadium and was so heavy that the match had to be suspended for half an hour until it could clear up.

After the match, fans continued to fight running battles with police on the streets outside the stadium and around a hundred people were treated for injuries, while dozens with lesser injuries were taken to local hospitals.

Apparently, the 'fans' in question were heavily armed. A 38 year old policeman was attacked, hit in the face by a blunt object and died of his injuries.

These 'fans' are referred in Italy as ultras and often act like criminal gangs to whom the action on the field is almost irrelevant.

Italian soccer authorities continue to try to bury their head in the sand about this disease. The president of Italy's Professional Football League Clubs Antonio Matarrese was idiotic enough to say, "Deaths unfortunately form part of this huge movement which is football (soccer) and which the forces of order are not always able to control."

Soccer may be a passion but it should not be a fatal one. You should be able to attend a match and support your team (assuming you're a real supporter, not an ultra) without risking your life. Soccer should not be gang warfare.

Fortunately, Italy's government is taking the issue more seriously than soccer authorities. Italian prime minister Romano Prodi denounced Materrese's ostrich-like comments as 'unacceptable.'

Interior Minister Giuliano Amato said that stadia will not re-open to fans until existing safety regulations are finally adhered to. Only nine clubs in the entire country meet those critiera. He said that clubs who do not comply will play their games at empty grounds until they do.

He also said that those guilty of hooliganism will be dealt with more harshly by the courts and demanded that clubs end their close relationship with groups of ultras. This will be strongly resisted by the ultras who wield a power at many clubs far more substantial than their numbers but any serious attempt to clean up the Italian game requires such action.

In the 70s and 80s, hooliganism was a huge problem in English soccer. Racism and violence were epidemic in the stands. It was a dark time for the game in England. The problems culminated with the Heysel Stadium disaster in which 39 fans (Italians ironically) were killed as they were charged by Liverpool fans. English clubs were banned from European competitions for six years. Hooliganism was referred to as 'the English disease.'

The Heysel tragedy (along with the Hillsborough disaster, which was related to overcrowding, not hooliganism) caused a top-to-bottom re-examination of the entire structure and operations of soccer in England. But authorities made a concerted effort to make stadia safer and more pleasant. It cost a lot of money and some complain that the atmosphere inside grounds is much more sterile. But as a result, hooliganism and racism has been all but eradicated from English club soccer. Italian authorities will need to show the same firmness if they want comparable results.

I was saddened by the policeman's slaying. I am disgusted that authorities waited this long to tackle the crisis. I am sorry that the season is on hold. My club, A.S. Roma, was trying to catch Inter Milan for the championship. Both teams were playing great soccer and now the season is in limbo. But authorities had no choice. Humanity and civilization dictate that fans don't get killed at sporting events. Any supporter who doesn't accept this doesn't deserve to attend soccer matches.