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[FONT=Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular]Matarrese slams suspension[/FONT]Monday 5 February, 2007[FONT=Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular]Lega Calcio chief Antonio Matarrese believes that footballing activities should immediately resume. “The show must go on,” he said.
All Italian competitions were suspended after policeman Filippo Raciti was killed during the riots outside the Serie A match between Catania and Palermo.
The 38-year-old inspector will be buried on Monday and the FIGC and CONI will meet with government representatives in the afternoon to discuss when and how the championship might resume.
“We are pained, but the show must go on. Football must never shut down,” said Matarrese in an interview with newspaper La Repubblica.
“Deaths in the football system unfortunately are part of this enormous movement that the police have not yet been able to control,” added the former FIGC President.
“I cannot agree with those who ask for the matches to stop for several weeks, I think it is irresponsible.”
Many have suggested that the English model is the one to follow, as hooliganism was dealt with and finally defeated by forcing clubs to ban violent supporters and modernising the stadiums.
“That is an entirely different world. If you are arrested in England they put you in jail and you serve your sentence. Here this never happens, the day after the events you are free to leave.
“Inside English stadiums there are stewards, the policemen are outside. We have the Pisanu law, but it is expensive to implement the regulations.
“We must start planning new stadiums, the Italian ones are old. I also believe that the facilities should be managed by the clubs, who can then be considered responsible for what happens inside.”
“We had to stop, but now everyone has something to say and it seems they all know what the solution to the problem is. The footballing system is very delicate, it can only stop for a short period, otherwise it can break down.
“This is one of the most important industries in Italy and it cannot stop. I have the impression that those who want to close the stadiums and stop for one year are irresponsible and a bit fanatical,” concluded Matarrese.[/FONT]
This man is becoming a hero in my eyes. The show must go on. Dam right.