A row is breaking out between a group of Juventus” data-scaytid=”1″>Juventus ultras, the widow of Gaetano Scirea and the FIGC.
A row is breaking out between a group of Juventus ultras, the widow of Gaetano Scirea and the FIGC.
The problem started when Mariella Scirea condemned the ‘racist’ anti-Neapolitan chants and recent anti-Semitic insults that have been heard in the section of the stadium that bears the Juve legend’s name, the Curva Scirea.
She suggested this week that the club remove his name if they are to continue behaving in this manner, but the reaction has not been what she was expecting.
Today the Drughi group of ultras released an open letter attacking Mariella Scirea, accusing her of “working against the colours worn by the much-missed Gaetano.”
The 1982 World Cup winner died in a car crash in Poland on September 3 1989, when he was on a scouting mission for Juventus at the age of 36.
The letter insists she “only got into politics because she was the widow of a legend, certainly not because of her talents or credentials,” and that her call to remove the name Scirea from the Curva was “enthusiastically shared by all the enemies” of Juventus.
“Consider the incriminated chants have been sung by everyone for more than 20 years and are also sung loudly by the Curva Nord, only that section is reserved for the Club Doc” of which she is the President of co-ordination.
The most scathing and insulting attack called for the wife of Juve legend Scirea to stop using his surname.
“What we all agree on is that it’s wrong to use the name of a Champion beloved by all. Therefore we accept the invitation of the lady and from now on the name Scirea will no longer identify our section of the Stadium.
“However, she should do the same and go back to using her maiden name, Cavanna. Having known Gaetano’s reserved nature, we are certain he wouldn’t have appreciated such a pushy wife who, shielding herself behind a name she inherited, made her way in the worlds of politics and sport proving she knows nothing about either.”
The ultras concluded by urging Scirea to resign as President of the co-ordination committee for the fans in the Juventus Stadium.
Naturally, this reaction has caused shockwaves and FIGC President Giancarlo Abete was horrified.
“I think it would be only natural Mrs Scirea would want to hold dear the name and image of her late husband, who honoured Italian football with the jerseys of Juve and Italy.
“He deserves the utmost respect and the people who have the opportunity to sit in an area of the stadium that is in his honour have the duty to remember that.”