Presentation of the country's main government and sports institutions

• Ministry of Youth and Sport
• Ministry of Internal Affairs
• Ministry of Justice
• National committee on sport safety and security

Independent sports safety bodies: is there a national independent authority competent for sports venues safety licensing and inspection?

Licenses for stadiums and in general for the places where sporting events take place, are released by provincial or municipal committees, according to the facility capacity. The National Observatory on Sporting Events has a "Facilities Commission" that can do inspections if necessary.

Main sports in the country:

• Football
• Basketball
• Volleyball
• Cycling
• Tennis

National Olympic Committee:

Comitato Olimpico Nazionale Italiano (CONI)

Main sports federations and leagues:

• Federazione Italiana Giuoco Calcio (FIGC)
• Lega Serie A
• Lega Serie B
• Lega Serie C
• Federazione Italiana Pallacanestro (FIP)
• Lega Serie A
• Federazione Italiana Pallavolo (FIPAV)
• Lega Seria A Maschile
• Lega Serie A Femminile
• Federazione Ciclistica Italiana (FCI)
• Federazione Italiana Tennis e Padel (FITP)

National football authorities

Federazione Italiana Giuoco Calcio (FIGC)

Relevant good practices in the S4 domain

In safety, security and service matters, the National Observatory on Sporting Events issues protocols based on the analysis and studies done with the main sport authorities, who made possible to standardise the way public order and public security services are managed all over the country. Observatory’s activity has been essential for important legislative changes in stewarding, ticketing and facilities areas.

Last major sports events organised since 2000 and key elements of their legacy

• 2000-2001 Champions League Final (Stadio San Siro - Milan)
• 2005 European Men Volleyball Championship
• 2006 Winter Olympics (Turin)
• 2008-2009 Champions League Final (Stadio Olimpico - Rome)
• 2011 European Women Volleyball Championship
• 2013-2014 Europa League Final (Juventus Stadium - Turin)
• 2015-2016 Champions League Final (Stadio San Siro - Milan)
• 2015 European Men Volleyball Championship
• 2019 European Football Championship (Under 21)
• 2020 European Football Championship (Stadio Olimpico - Rome. Four matches including the opening game and a Quarter Final)
• 2021-2025 ATP Finals Men Tennis (Palasport Olimpico - Turin)
• 2022 European Swimming Championship (Rome)
• 2023 European Men and Female Volleyball Championships
• Every year : Fomula 1 GP (Monza; Imola); Formula E (Rome) and Motorcycle World Championship (Mugello; Misano)

5 key elements in legacy

• Plan flexible Services
• Cooperate between Public-Private Authorities
• Create a Control Room
• Share Information
• Ability to adapt for new unforeseen needs

Future major sports events organised and/or co-organised within the next 5 years

• 2026 Winter Olympics (Milan - Cortina)

The country's main sports competitions

• Lega Serie A (Football)
• Superlega (Volleyball)
• Lega Serie A (Basket)

There isn’t any organisation that represents supporters at national level.

At provincial level, there is the SLO that is the contact point between each club/fans and the Provincial Police Authorities.

National legal framework on sports safety and security, including specific legal provisions on:

• list of main laws and regulations:
• • Ministerial Decree 18/03/1996 (Safety standards for the construction and operation of sports facilities);
  • Decree Law 24/02/2003, n. 28 (Urgent provisions to counter the phenomena of violence at sports competitions);
  • Ministerial Decree 06/06/2005 (Procedures for the issuance, distribution and sale of admission tickets to sports facilities with a capacity of more than ten thousand, on the occasion of football matches);
  • Ministerial Decree 06/06/2005 (Amendments and additions to the Ministerial Decree of March 18, 1996, containing safety standards for the construction and operation of sports facilities);
  • Ministerial Decree 06/06/2005 (Procedures for the installation of video surveillance systems in sports facilities with a capacity of more than ten thousand, on the occasion of football matches).

• national / local coordination bodies:
  • Ministerial Decree 01/12/2005 (Operational lines, activities instrumental to the performance of tasks, as well as organisation, mode of operation and composition of the National Observatory on Sports Events).

• share of safety and security responsibilities (inside/outside of sports venues):
  • Information not available 

• stewarding/ private security
  • Decree of the Ministry of the Interior of August 13, 2019

• sports venues safety regulations, licensing, certification and inspection
  • Information not available

• sport-related hate speech, racism and other types of discrimination
  • Decree Law 26/04/1993, n. 122

• pyrotechnics and other forbidden items
  • Law 13 of December 1989, n. 401

• customer service and role of supporters and local communities
  • Information not available

• social-educational preventative measures / projects
  • Information not available

•  
• alcohol/drug policy
  • Law n. 401, 13 December 1989

• specific sport-related misbehaviours typified as crimes
  • Law n. 401, 13 December 1989

•  
• specific sport-related misbehaviours typified as misdemeanours
  • Law n. 401, 13 December 1989

• exclusion policy (banning orders / exit bans)
  • Law n. 401, 13 December 1989

• Measures taken / envisaged by States to meet the objectives of the Convention
  • Creation of a National Center on Italian Sporting Events
  • Establishment of a Security Operations Group (GOS) at provincial level
  • Stewards employment in service and safety activities
  • Audits and inspections of sports facilities
  • Integrated security approach through a public-private partnership

Existence of specific safety, security and/or service public policies

There is no specific police, but such activities fall under the jurisdiction of the State Police and the Carabinieri Corps.

Existence of a national strategy on safety, security and service

National Observatory on Sporting Events and CNIMS suggest safety, security and service guidelines and best practice at national level.

Existence of regional/ local strategies on safety, security and service

GOS gives local implementation to ministerial guidance.

Major risks and trends on sport-related violence and disorder

Most of violence and disorder episodes occurred during football events. Particularly, main critical incidents happen while away fans enter in the stadiums when they can be attacked by home supporters. These situations occur mainly during non-professional championships football games. These clashes are characterized by the presence of armed and masked groups of supporters (usually not more than 100) who assault the vehicles on which travel opponent fans. During these clashes, the throwing of firecrackers and other pyrotechnic devices is frequent.

Inside the stadiums, due to the video surveillance system and other measures provided by the law, critical incidents don’t occur.

Along major highway sections, however, there are frequent thefts at gas stations by the supporters who travel to reach the competition locations.

Last major incidents which seem relevant and enlightening on the need to adopt an integrated approach to safety, security and service

During the past weeks, two serious incidents have occurred. The first took place along the A1 highway and involved the fans of Naples and Rome. In particular, several hundred Neapolitan supporters stopped their trip to attack Romanist rivals, creating a danger to public safety and causing the suspension of highway traffic for several hours.

The second incident occurred during the supporter’s influx of "Paganese - Casertana" match valid for the “Serie D” championship, when about a hundred supporters of the home team attacked the buses carrying visiting fans. During the attack, firecrackers and pyrotechnic devices were thrown, causing damage to one of the two buses, which caught fire. Both incidents are symptomatic of a resurgence of violence after two years conditioned by the pandemic emergency and underline the need to study new measures to ensure a high standard of security during the influx and outflow of fans.

Please provide a graph of the evolution of total incidents over the last 10 years.

Apart from the two years affected by the pandemic emergency (2020-2021 and 2021-2022 seasons), we can say that the trend of incidents has been declining since the early 2000s. This result has been possible thanks to the introduction of a series of measures that have increased the level of safety in facilities where professional football matches are played. In particular, the Italian system includes personalised tickets, a video surveillance system inside the stadium and surrounding areas, as well as the presence of stewards who cooperate with police forces in filtering and reception activities. Alongside these preventive measures, stadium ban regulations have been tightened by increasing the period of time during which a person may not enter the stadium or by increasing the number of punishable behaviors. While overall the results achieved can be said to be satisfactory, after the period of closure imposed by Covid-19 restrictions, the current season is witnessing an increase in incidents and episodes of violence, especially in the inflow and outflow phases.