30 December at 11:05
Italy’s Minister of the Interior Matteo Salvini has returned to talk about the incidents from Inter-Napoli in a long letter published today in the Gazzetta dello Sport.
“I write to take stock of the facts of Inter-Napoli. I am clearly against the closure of stadiums or some sectors. Travel bans do not convince me either. The responsibility is always personal. I do not conceive the idea of punishing all the fans without distinction. Also because only a small minority are violent,” he wrote.
“I called the National Observatory on sporting events for January 7th (with me there will be the undersecretary with responsibility for sport, Giancarlo Giorgetti). The idea is to involve all those involved. Clubs, coaches, footballers, journalist and fans. Problems cannot be resolved only by force. When it is possible, it is better to talk and nail everyone to their responsibilities.
“I am a minister but also a fan. I have been at stadiums of half of Italy, so I am surprised by those who talk without ever having set foot in an ultras sector. I also carefully read the position of UEFA and, even though I do not agree with it.
“I am not convinced by suspending games. Stopping the match, with the clashes occurring before the match, could have caused worse trouble for public order. In addition, without wishing to justify or tolerate vulgarity and offences, I ask my self: do we intend to defend players those insulted for the colour of their skin but not those whose mothers are insulted?
“Can you rant against Materazzi’s family? And what is the boundary between racist insults and insults? In 2018, anyone who despises another human being for the colour of his skin is a football. But just because the problem of racism is tremendously serious, it should not be trivialized,” Salvini concluded.
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