Basketball does not stop but will observe mourning for Raffaele Marianella

The Federal Council of the FIP chaired by Giovanni Petrucci was urgently convened after what happened on Sunday evening to the damage of a bus of Pistoia fans returning from the away match in Rieti and which led to the death of Mr. Raffaele Marianella, one of the two drivers of the vehicle.

While again expressing his deep and heartfelt condolences to the Marianella family, President Petrucci reiterated that those who attacked the bus “certainly are not fans, they are thugs. We must protect basketball and we must defend the good fan, the one who brings his family to the games.”

CONI President Luciano Buonfiglio attended the meeting and asked “that a strong signal be given and that delinquent logics not only enter basketball, but the entire sport. I am at your side for all the initiatives you will take together with Minister of Sports and Youth Andrea Abodi and Interior Minister Matteo Piantedosi.”

The Office of the Federal Prosecutor’s Office has opened an investigation file asking the Federal Court that, until the completion of the investigation itself, it take as a matter of urgency the precautionary measure of having RSR Sebastiani Rieti’s home matches played behind closed doors.

Contrary to expectations, moreover, the scrimmage scheduled for next Wednesday, Oct. 22, in Rome between the national team and RSR Sebastiani Rieti has been canceled.

Significant also the words of the Azzurri’s technical commissioner, Luca Banchi.

To remember and commemorate Mr. Raffaele Marianella, President Petrucci, with the consent of the entire Federal Council, has ordered a minute’s silence and mourning for all competitions this week, in every league.