AS Roma have been ordered to close part of their stadium at their next home game after fans displayed banners insulting the mother of a Napoli fan who died following clashes between rival supporters last year.
AS Roma have been ordered to close part of their stadium at their next home game after fans displayed banners insulting the mother of a Napoli fan who died following clashes between rival supporters last year.
The banners caused an outcry after they were displayed by fans on the Curva Sud (south curve) of the Olympic stadium during the Serie A match at home to Napoli on Saturday.
Serie A's disciplinary tribunal said the banners were "by their content provocatively insulting to the mother of a supporter of the opposing team, who died in dramatic circumstances".
The tribunal added that Roma fans were also guilty of discriminatory chanting "against people from a particular territorial origin" and ordered the Curva Sud to be shut for Roma's next home game.
The banners were aimed at Antonella Leardi, the mother of Napoli fan Ciro Esposito, who died last year more than one month after being shot during violent clashes between fans before the Coppa Italia final in Rome.
Although Napoli's opponents in that game were Fiorentina, the incident happened during clashes with Roma supporters.
Leardi has since spearheaded a campaign against soccer violence.
Roma president James Pallotta said in comments carried on the club's website (www.asroma.it) that he was "incredibly frustrated and disappointed" by the episode.
"We just don't really have the power in the stadium to stop all of this," he said.
"We had stewards inside the stadium with no real authority.
"We did take away some of the banners -- whatever banners that we did see outside before the game, our stewards did -- but at the end of the day, the security inside have to choose to take action and we don't control that security inside.
"It's just not fair for all of our fans to be tarnished," he added, before labelling the troublemakers "a few" who "hang out in the Curva Sud".
"I'm sure that the vast majority of Roma supporters are sick and tired of these fools, and it's up to all of us together -- not just in Rome but in Italy -- to put an end to their antics."
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