Top > Sport > 2007 > February > 2007-02-07

Death of Policeman Halts Italian Soccer League

The death of a police office in riots during a Seria A league game between Italian football clubs Palermo and Catania Calcio in Catania has halted all soccer games in the country. The officer was 38 year old Chief Inspector Filippo Raciti. The vehicle he was in was attacked by an explosive device. Other than the dead officer, 70 others were injured, most of them policemen. Games over the following weekend were suspended as was a friendly match between the national teams of Italy and Romania.

Italian Soccer Federation Commissioner Luca Pancalli said his a meeting is scheduled in which the federation will discuss the next steps. Until a decision is reached, no games will be played. The European Soccer organizations have also expressed concern about the latest development. Newly appointed UEFA President Michel Platini vowed to fight stadium violence. ?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," Platini said.

Italy`s politicians have also responded to the disaster and promised to follow course. Interior minister, Giuliano Amato, said in a statement that the issue will be debated in the lower house of Parliament. All will try and prevent such events from recurring and train the police forces better in stopping them before they break out at such scale. The violence even continued after the game.