FIGC suspends soccer in Italy

ROME (TICKER) —Football in Italy has been indefinitely suspended after a police officer was killed during serious trouble at the Sicilian derby between Catania and Palermo.

The policeman, Filippo Raciti, was 38.

According to reports, he was struck in the face by a small explosive while attempting to deal with fighting outside the stadium. He was taken to hospital but died from his injuries.

The Italian football federation (FIGC) held an emergency meeting on Friday evening, and commissioner Luca Pancalli then announced an immediate suspension of soccer

“I have demanded a stop to all activity of (soccer) in Italy,” Pancalli said in a statement. “Enough is enough. It’s a situation that I cannot speak of. To lose your life at 38 is incredible. This is not a sport.”

Speaking at a hastily-arranged press conference in Rome, Pancalli said the suspension would remain in place indefinitely.

“The football tournaments will remain suspended until we solve the violence in our (soccer)” he said. “It’s unacceptable that such incidents happen in a country like Italy.”

Italy was hoping to host the European Championships in 2012.

“At this moment I’m not thinking about (the bid) but should we lose our Euro 2012 bid because of this situation, we would deserve to lose it,” Pancalli said.

Italy’s national team was due to play Romania in Siena on Wednesday but that game - and the under-21 fixture against Belgium in Chieti on Tuesday - will not go ahead as things stand.

The president of the Italian Olympic Committee, Gianni Petrucci, has backed the FIGC’s decision to suspend all football activity, and Italian Prime Minister Romano Prodi added his voice to those calling for action to be taken to stop the trouble.

“After the serious incidents that occurred tonight in Catania, my first thought is for the people that have been affected and for their families,” he said. “I feel a duty to say that we need a strong and clear signal to avoid the degeneration of this sport which we are seeing more dramatically and more often.”

Around 100 people were reported to be injured - some seriously - after fighting erupted in the build-up to the game at the Angelo Massimino Stadium. Trouble continued throughout the evening, with the game suspended for around 30 minutes at one stage.

Palermo won the match, 2-1, but players and staff were held in the stadium by police after the game while the area was secured.

“I am extremely disappointed. Things cannot continue like this,” Palermo coach Francesco Guidolin said. “We didn’t know anything. We had to go back to the changing rooms because we couldn’t breathe. If we cannot get into our heads that (soccer) is a sport we cannot live in the world of (soccer).

“What has happened tonight offends sport and a beautiful city like Catania.”

Prior to kickoff a minute’s silence had been held following the death of a club official from lower league club Sammartinese at a game last weekend. Catania club executive Pietro Lo Monaco reacted to news of the officer’s death by announcing he would leave football.

“I’ve heard that a policeman has died,” he said. “To speak of (soccer) right now seems useless. For me this is the end. I will leave the (soccer) world. I don’t recognize myself in this world anymore. I have loved football intensely but after this right now it seems absurd.”

The Catania prosecutor’s office has announced an investigation into the incident.