Italian minister considers ban on fans
Monday, 5 February 2007 20:45Italian clubs will be forced to play behind closed doors until their stadia meet current safety standards, Italy's interior minister Giuliano Amato has announced.
All domestic and international matches in the country have been postponed indefinitely after crowd unrest left a police officer dead and many others hurt following Friday's Sicilian derby between Catania and Palermo.
Amato met with football authorities on Monday following the funeral of 38-year-old Filippo Raciti, and revealed a ban may be imposed on fans being allowed into some grounds in the country.
'We will not allow fans to go into a stadium that does not respect the current safety norms,' said Amato.
'In stadia like that of Catania I will not admit anyone, I am firm on this. That game shouldn't have been played.
'Hence, only those stadia that meet the security norms will reopen to the fans, the other stadia will be used to play in but without fans until they meet guidelines.
'Our current norms are efficient if followed.'
It is understood that only five stadia in Italy are currently acceptable in both Serie A and Serie B - the Stadio Olimpico in Rome, the Artemio Franchi in Siena, the Stadio Olimpico in Turin, Renzo Barbera in Palermo and Bologna's Renato Dall'Ara.
Other grounds, such as the San Siro in Milan, do not fall far short of the guidelines which would allow fans to enter the stadium.
Authorities are set to meet again on Wednesday to hold further talks to discuss stadium security and try to reach a decision on which games will be played - if any - this weekend.
