Calm Returns, Albeit Without Much Hope of Change

By: Martha | November 13th, 2007

Sandri, hands

*the post is being updated throughout the day; scroll to the bottom for the latest*

After the chaos and horror of Sunday night, things have settled down quickly in Italy, with officials retreating into meetings, and the thugs, apart from the few who are in jail, returned to their homes and the jobs they do without scarves wrapped around their faces. The discontent and mistrust that sparked the explosion, however, remains, and is likely to remain long after all of this fades away: Any possible solution is so vast, and would extend so far beyond sport that it’s difficult to comprehend, let alone articulate and initiate. The problems that led to what happened on Sunday — mistrust of authority, a lack of respect for public order, suspicion of public officials — are deep inside Italian society, and have nothing to do with football. As Clarence Seedorf said yesterday, “People are not happy and football is a great place to show your unhappiness. Unfortunately football is losing all the time — it’s sad to see kids crying (in grounds).” It’s going to take a long time, and some very thoughtful, far-sighted people to change things; I can’t even imagine how to begin.

On the football front, I think what Atalanta are doing (or say they are doing) by prosecuting those whose shocking behavior in the Curva caused their match against Milan to be abandoned is a small step in the right direction. If they follow through with the prosecutions (as of last night, eight people had been identified and arrested, thanks to that horrific television footage), it will drive a wedge, however small, between the club and their Ultras, which is an incredibly significant, symbolic event. Clubs of all sizes have close ties with their Ultras; that’s the way things have been forever, and even the revelations in Catania last February did nothing to change it. If a small club like Atalanta are brave enough to take this step, it could open the door to other teams doing the same; if Ultras have less power over clubs, maybe someday they won’t even be able to dream of using that power to get matches called off. And that would be a great day for football, and for public order.

My understanding of Italian culture is embarrassingly limited and, despite how closely I follow calcio, there are wrinkles upon wrinkles that I can’t begin to understand. I do understand, though, that this isn’t going to get better without massive changes outside of football, as well as brave, tough policing within the game, starting with prying the clubs and their Ultras apart. And, honestly, I don’t think either of those things is going to happen any time soon; I think we’ll just see this sort of horror repeated again and again, regular tragedies that no one knows how to control. I’m never going to stop loving the game, but the feeling of helplessness is sometimes almost overwhelming, even from way over here.

Less depressing, non-navel gazing summary of yesterday’s news after the jump; if anything changes, updates will be there as well.

Apart from the arrests and ongoing investigation into Gabriele Sandri’s death (check yesterday’s post for the details on those), there were two meetings that produced decisions that will impact Serie A.

First, The National Observatory on Sports Events — the body created in the aftermath of the events last February — issued a statement in which it banned “mass away travel of violent fan groups,” among other things. In practical terms, this means matches will continue to be evaluate on a case-by-case basis for their risk levels, with measures such as closed away Curvas and bans on bulk ticket sales among possible enforcement measures. How often they will be employed and what difference the decisions will make, obviously, remains to be seen.

Second, the FIGC met and concluded that this weekend’s Serie B and C matches will be suspended but that, pending further meetings in the coming weeks, Serie A will restarted as planned, on November 25. Additionally, a formal request has been made to UEFA, asking that the Azzurri be allowed to wear black armbands during Sunday’s match in Glasgow.

•The Inter-Lazio and Roma-Cagliari matches have been rescheduled for December 5. (Added 1145am EST)

•Gigi Riva is so disgusted with what happened on Sunday that he’s willing to accept a year-long stoppage of Serie A, if that’s what it takes to create change in the culture of calcio. (Added 115pm EST)

•Arrests continue in the wake of Sunday’s violence, not only in Rome and Bergamo but all over the country, for various offenses from anti-polive graffiti to involvement in the madness in the Atalanta ground. (Added 120pm EST)

•Sandri’s ~~funeral~~ lying in state took place in Rome today. Needless to say, the crowds were huge. The funeral is tomorrow, and will be attended by members of major Ultra groups from other clubs who traveled from outside the city to attend. (Added 120pm; edited 320pm EST)

•It’s been suggested that Atalanta could be forced to forfeit their abandoned match against Milan. One hopes the FIGC will support the team that is brave enough to prosecute its own Ultras and not hand down this sort of punishment, but it’s impossible to know what the calcio administration is thinking, so we’ll see. (Added 345pm EST)

•”Ultras are the exception to the rules.” Spangly Princess has posted the text of a letter from a Roman Ultra that she says was posted in the piazza outside Gabriele Sandri’s funeral vigil today. The letter and her thoughts on it are well worth reading. (Added 405pm EST)

•Atalanta’s players have signed a statement throwing their support behind their chairman’s strong stance against Sunday’s events. Starting shortly after his team’s Ultra’s stopped the Milan match, chairman Ivan Ruggeri has repeatedly said he wants to close the home Curva at the Atalanta ground. (Added 415pm EST)