The exciting energy and good spirits that come with opening day of the season were soured by a group of Lazio fans on Saturday. Before the Serie A opener, a group of Lazio loyals distributed flyers to those on their way into the Stadio Olimpico telling female fans to steer clear of their “sacred space” within the stadium known as the Curva Nord.
#Lazio ultras publish flyer prohibiting women from first ten rows https://t.co/YaNYtWbehm pic.twitter.com/yorpC5n1V9
— TheLaziali.com (@The_Laziali) August 20, 2018
The message reads in English:
"The North (supporter’s section of the Stadio Olimpico) for us represents a sacred place. An environment with an unwritten code to be respected. Since the beginning, we have and continue to experience the first rows as though they were trench lines. Within these, we do not allow women, wives and girlfriends, whom we invite to take a seat starting in the 10th row and beyond. Whoever chooses the stadium as their alternative to a carefree and romantic day at Villa Borghese can go it in the other sections. The Diabolik Pluto, Executive Association."
The discriminatory PSA was signed off by “Diabolik Pluto,” a leader of a group known as the Irreducibili. The ultras are no strangers to the headlines and have been reprimanded before for their inflammatory behavior. The club was fined last season after donning Roma jerseys with anti-Semitic stickers of Holocaust victim Anne Frank during a meeting with their local rival.
After the flyer began circulating on social media, Arturo Diaconal, a spokesperson for the Roman side, stated that the views of the supporters do not represent those of the club at large and that although they do their best to discourage this language and behavior, much of it is out of their control.
It seems the calls to banish women from the “sacred section” were not enough to give Lazio the good juju needed for a win. Lazio fell 2-1 to Napoli, with a second-half strike by Lorenzo Insigne giving Carlo Ancelloti's side a win over the Biancocelesti.
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