Insults and spitting among parents during a children’s game; tournament canceled

It’s hard to believe what happened during the final stages of the Cortinovis youth tournament, a competition organized by the Bergamo-based club Villa Valle for 9- and 10-year-olds: During the final match, an argument broke out among parents in the stands and quickly escalated into insults and spitting.

Villa Valle cut the tournament’s final match short and suspended the awards ceremony “to send a strong and unequivocal message against behavior that has nothing to do with the values of sports.”

The club itself announced this in an official statement: “With regard to the unfortunate incidents that occurred on Sunday, November 8, during the finals of the Cortinovis Tournament, Villa Valle SSD ARL strongly condemns the disrespectful and violent behavior exhibited by some parents in the stands.”

“After a day marked by matches played in the spirit of fairness, mutual respect, and sportsmanship by the young athletes and coaching staff, it was particularly painful to witness such deplorable incidents in the stands.”

“Villa Valle reaffirms with absolute firmness its rejection of all forms of violence, aggression, and disrespect, both on and off the field. We deeply believe in the educational value of sports, especially at the youth level, and we are convinced that adults must set a positive example for young people, rather than engaging in behavior that risks undermining the true meaning of these events.”

The Bergamo-based club then thanked the young athletes who took part in the events “for the commitment, passion, and sportsmanship they demonstrated on the field.”