Weeks after its president received threats telling him to close the club, Sporting Locri is kicking off again after an outpouring of support from across Italy
Rosie Scammell in Rome
Friday 8 January 2016 11.18 GMT Last modified on Friday 23 June 2017 18.52 BST
One of Italy’s best female football teams will make a defiant return to the pitch on Sunday, taking a stand against mafia-style threats that sought to shut down the club.
Sporting Locri, which hails from the southern Calabria region and competes in Italy’s top Serie A league, had announced its closure last month after its president received intimidating messages relating to the club and his daughter, and had his car tyres slashed.
But, after an outpouring of indignant and emotional messages from other teams across the country, the five-a-side squad said it would return to the pitch at a match this weekend to be broadcast on national television and attended by the Italian FA’s president, Carlo Tavecchio, along with other sporting officials.
“To tell the truth, in order to continue in the championship it doesn’t make sense to stop. It will be good to continue ... Sunday will be a great day for sport,” said midfielder Rosanna Rovito.
A criminal investigation is under way to find out who was behind the threats, which began on 7 December when the club’s president, Ferdinando Armeni, received a message reading: “It’s time to close Sporting Locri. Leave!”. The team continued playing until just before Christmas, when Armeni’s tyres were slashed and the messages became more violent.
The president decided to take action when a note suggested his daughter would be the target. A post declaring “Game Over” on the club’s Facebook page announced it was heeding the warnings and would close.
Such intimidation is a technique commonly used by mafia clans in Calabria, which is home to the notorious ’Ndrangheta mafia. It is not yet known whether the club suffered intimidation specifically because it is a female side, or whether other factors were at play.
Although Italy’s national women’s side is ranked 13th in the world – above their male counterparts at 15th place – female football teams are relatively rare in a society where sexism remains common.
Sporting Locri is returning to the pitch this weekend at a match to be broadcast on national TV and attended by the Italian FA’s president. Photograph: Centro Sportivo Italiano View more sharing options This article is 1 year old
Rosie Scammell in Rome
Friday 8 January 2016 11.18 GMT Last modified on Friday 23 June 2017 18.52 BST
One of Italy’s best female football teams will make a defiant return to the pitch on Sunday, taking a stand against mafia-style threats that sought to shut down the club.
Sporting Locri, which hails from the southern Calabria region and competes in Italy’s top Serie A league, had announced its closure last month after its president received intimidating messages relating to the club and his daughter, and had his car tyres slashed.
But, after an outpouring of indignant and emotional messages from other teams across the country, the five-a-side squad said it would return to the pitch at a match this weekend to be broadcast on national television and attended by the Italian FA’s president, Carlo Tavecchio, along with other sporting officials.
“To tell the truth, in order to continue in the championship it doesn’t make sense to stop. It will be good to continue ... Sunday will be a great day for sport,” said midfielder Rosanna Rovito.
A criminal investigation is under way to find out who was behind the threats, which began on 7 December when the club’s president, Ferdinando Armeni, received a message reading: “It’s time to close Sporting Locri. Leave!”. The team continued playing until just before Christmas, when Armeni’s tyres were slashed and the messages became more violent.
The president decided to take action when a note suggested his daughter would be the target. A post declaring “Game Over” on the club’s Facebook page announced it was heeding the warnings and would close.
Such intimidation is a technique commonly used by mafia clans in Calabria, which is home to the notorious ’Ndrangheta mafia. It is not yet known whether the club suffered intimidation specifically because it is a female side, or whether other factors were at play.
Although Italy’s national women’s side is ranked 13th in the world – above their male counterparts at 15th place – female football teams are relatively rare in a society where sexism remains common.
