Few can have missed the news of a decision that means that Inter’s curva will be closed for the games against Milan and Chievo. The reason is claimed to be anti-Napoli songs during the game against Napoli this weekend. Since Inter’s curva were ‘under investigation’ after the away game against Torino where they weren’t suspended for the same songs, the chants of a very small part of the Curva away against Napoli caused a double suspension.
There are many questions that need to be raised about the laws, decisions and rules. The first question I want to ask is how a minority on an away game, can effect a majority for a home game. Amongst those who are punished are my good friend Ben from London (who has spent a lot of money on the flight, hotel and season pass) and my friend Sullina who now has a ticket that isn’t valid, because of something that they didn’t have anything to do with. These are just two of the examples of people who together with the big mass are punished for what a minority did away against Napoli, and I haven’t mentioned those who have been working for 3.5 months on the derby-Tifo. After the recent years with laws like the tessera del tifoso that is needed to enter at an away game, you could expect more from a judge than to ignore all distinctions. Everyone who is older than 6 years old needs a ticket with the name of the person who uses it printed on it, and also a valid identification to enter the stadium. That some people enter the stadium without another identity than their own is known. Thinking about all the videocameras that have been put in the stadiums for the reason to identify supporters who don’t behave, it becomes very clear that the thought about the tessera del tifoso as a solution to make the stadiums safer, remains a thought and not a concrete act that makes things better.
The problems with the tessera have been discussed elsewhere though I feel like it is important to repeat that the card has made the stadiums more dangerous, rather than safer. Those who don’t want or can’t get the card to enter the away section together with their co-fans, buy normal tickets and mix up with their rivals. A mix that ends up with many fights (watch Inter-Juve this season) which means the violence has been taken from the Curve, or outside of the stadium to inside the stadium amongst normal people. In this case we are facing an even more dangerous scenario because 10-15000 Inter supporters just lost their tickets for the game which could mean extreme danger outside of the stadium. Pissed off Ultra’s who gather at the Baretto with nowhere to go isn’t exactly what you’d want for the derby day. 50 metres from the Baretto all Inter Clubs are supposed to get their tickets and the risk for chaos is huge.
The discussion about the rules also have to be repeated. Many of us claim that the songs are a part of the game and have been as long as one can remember. When Juve’s stands were closed they thought the solution was replacing the Ultra’s with kids. Something that ended with the kids singing “Oh merda” that gave Juve a 5000 euro fine, something that says a lot about the supporter culture in the stadiums, since Ultra’s aren’t even needed for ironical songs. The federation has a lot of work to do since songs like “We aren’t napoletani” are punished whilst “Milano in flames” aren’t. Also Roma’s curva was closed for “Rossoneri carabinieri”(Red and black cops), that has been sung forever whilst the sportive judge Tosel apparently thought the romanisti sang “Rossoneri squadra di neri”(Milan a team of blacks). In the same game the Milan Curva sang ironical songs about the Roma-supporter Antonio De Falchi that was killed in Milan by Milanisti, something that is far worse than “rossoneri carabinieri” for normal humans, but not for the sportive judge.
After many scandals Italian football really has few ways to impress and market themselves for the rest of the world. One of the only things that the league could be proud of is the fantastic supporter culture and the amazing atmosphere that the supporters create, even though the rest of the stadium is empty. The spectacular battle between the two Curves of Milano, during the derby is one of the most beautiful things that football has to offer. But it says a lot about a country that wants to make more people go to the stadium when they make it harder for clubs to build new stadium’s, close sections and suspend fans every now and then. It says a lot when the people who command and lead the country want to divide the country between north and south. How are supporters supposed to be tought moral lessions about rasism and “territorial rasism” from those who practise both manners in reality?
A derby without the Curva Nord isn’t a derby, something that the life long rivals from the Curva Sud also have been clear with.
