The cost of the game

From CNN...

The Serie A matches scheduled for last Saturday and Sunday were canceled because of the rioting after the local derby between Palermo and Catania. The decision on resuming professional games would be made after the Cabinet meeting, Italian soccer federation commissioner Luca Pancalli said.

Thankfully this didn't happen while we were in Italy. I would have been crushed. I was freaking out enough in Turin when I was late getting to the Juventus game and couldn't find out where to buy tickets. We ended up missing the first 15 minutes of the first half and if it turned out we couldn't get tickets, I would have probably cried. Not that me seeing soccer is more important than people obeying the 5th commandment.

The suggestions that the game should go on, despite any deaths being caused, let alone a police officer, are utterly repulsive. Here in North America, you have no idea how civilized we are in the sporting arena as compared to the rest of the world. Here, even in very competitive sports, opposing fans do not need to be segregated in the stands and are most often able to support their teams without fear of retribution from those around them. The soccer games we went to seemed to be on the verge of riots and that is probably a normal occurrence. I suggest that punishment be brought onto the field for crowd behaviour. I think that there is definitely a good chance that if a team loses points in the standings or they are reduced by a player (or more) on the field, that some amount of civility can be brought to the crowds.