Footballer Paolo di Canio is in trouble for doing what’s called a ‘Roman salute’ – that’s a fascist salute to you and me – at the Lazio/Livorno match the other day. Lazio’s notorious for its fascist fans – they wave swastika flags on the terraces. Livorno, on the other hand, is a ‘left-wing’ club. Most of Italy’s football hooliganism divides on supposedly political lines, although whether the fans know or care what they’re shouting for as they throw flares across the pitch and beat up their other side must be doubtful. In theory the ‘Roman salute’ is banned here, though that doesn’t appear to bother di Canio. You can, however, freely buy a 2006 Mussolini calendar from the newspaper stand.
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dannicho
- 2005-12-14 @ 11:11:37
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leonora
- http://webspace.webring.com/people/es/somalicat_uk/opera.html
- 2006-04-23 @ 15:57:58
our house is near Livorno...the Livornese are rightly proud of their reputation as the reddest town in 'Red Tuscany". In other words, I think the Livornese are perfectly aware of what they are doing when they sing "Bella Ciao"! (Good for them!)
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I'm really glad that DiCanio isn't at my club, West Ham, anymore. If he did the same thing in the U.K. he would receive a lengthy ban, but the Italians seem to think that paltry fines suffice. As the presenter of "Football Italia" said the other day, racism is another problem that Serie A seem content to sweep underneath their already bulging carpet.
I think that the political side of Italian football is probably more genuine than it is in Britain, you'd never hear British fans sing "The Red Flag" in the same way that Livorno or Atalanta fans sing "Bella Ciao" or "Bandiera Rossa". However, I've no doubt that many hooligans just use political/racist chants to wind people up. There are certainly a lot of West Ham fans (although thankfuly now a minority) who will shout anything to wind up the opposition, up to and inculding singing about the holocaust in matches against Spurs.