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UEFA promise full investigation into violence at Italy-Serbia match

13 October 2010 22:15 (UTC +04:00)

Baku â€“ APA. UEFA have promised a "full and thorough investigation" into the violence that forced Italy’s Euro 2012 qualifying match with Serbia to be abandoned on Tuesday night, APA reports quoting CNN.
Disturbances around the ground in Genoa meant kick-off had to be put back 35 minutes and once the match started Serbian supporters threw flares onto the pitch and let off fireworks.
Referee Craig Thomson stopped play after just six minutes when visiting fans hurled a flare towards Italy goalkeeper Emiliano Viviano and the match was quickly called off.
Police and firefighters struggled to contain the Serbian fans, who threw objects at their Italian counterparts, cut protective netting and tried to smash Perspex barriers.
AFP reported that 16 people had been hospitalized and 17 arrested on what Italy coach Cesare Prandelli told reporters had been a "night of torment."
On Wednesday AFP said Italian Foreign Minister Franco Frattini told reporters: "I have just received a phone call from Serbian Foreign Minister Vuk Jeremic, who presented a formal apology from the government."
Jeremic vowed "to intensify the search for those responsible and to capture the criminals who will be punished to set an example," Frattini added.
European football’s governing body said that sanctions open to them include disqualifying Serbia from Euro 2012 and excluding them from future competitions.
UEFA’s statement read: "Following the abandonment of yesterday’s UEFA Euro 2012 qualifying match between Italy and Serbia at the Stadio Luigi Ferraris in Genoa after only six minutes of play, UEFA has confirmed it has immediately opened a full and thorough disciplinary investigation into the incidents of serious disorder witnessed at the match and the circumstances surrounding it.
"Once the full dossier is completed, with the assistance of both the referee and delegate reports, the matter will be put before the independent UEFA Control and Disciplinary Body for further review and possible sanctions.
"The sanctions that are available to the Control and Disciplinary Body can be found in the UEFA Disciplinary Regulations, edition 2008, Article 14, and range from a reprimand or fine, up to a stadium closure or "disqualification from competitions in progress and/or exclusion from future competitions".
"The proposed date for the meeting of the Control and Disciplinary Body to hear this case is Thursday 28 October."