Violence cannot be tollerated

AIA (Italian referees association) decided for a strike. The referees are not going to direct next weekend's matches in all of the amateur divisions of the Lazio's region: the decision comes after the aggression to a referee during the match of Promozione championship between Virtus Olympia Roma San Basilio and Atletico Torrenova 1986.

This decision was announced by the president Marcello Nicchi: “A strong stance for the start a reasoning about the issue of violence in football". Yesterday has happened another episode of violence against a referee who had been appointed to the direction of the match for Promozione championship in Lazio, the region where there are registered already eight cases from the beginning of the sports season, - note of the AIA reads - In this event the young referee has been attacked savagely and he forced to use emergency medical treatment and he is still hospitalized". Nicchi said "We will evaluate new and similar initiatives if needed, about any further episode of serious violence.

FIGC (Italian Football Federation) president, Gabriele Gravina commented on the choice of the AIA: “This is another ugly episode, witness of a culture that we must change. Who makes these gestures cannot be part of our world. The appeal of the mother of this guy and all the referees attacked will not remain unheard. We will study more drastic measures in order to stop this happening, coming up to the exclusion of the club if responsibility emerges.” Serie B League expressed its solidarity to AIA decision, to president Nicchi and Riccardo Bernardini, the referee, who was the victim of the vile and unacceptable assault.