Italy stops play for pope
2005-04-02 16:09
Rome - All Italian first and second division matches have been cancelled this weekend, the Italian Olympic Committee (CONI) said on Saturday, as a mark of respect to Pope John Paul II who is close to death.
CONI, Italy's highest sports authority, suspended all events in all sports out of respect for the seriously ill pope.
Sports federations in this football-crazed country were expected to follow CONI's diplomatically-worded "appeal".
"In view of the medical bulletins which underline the inevitable and imminent death of the Holy Father and in respect of the feelings of the athletes, technicians, executives and supporters," CONI boss Giovanni Petrucci urged Italy's sports federations to cancel events.
Officials in the central town of Terni immediately contacted the fans of their second division team to tell them not to travel to a football match scheduled for Saturday evening in Perugia.
Gianfranco Zola, the former Chelsea player who now plays for Cagliari, agreed with the ban.
"It is right that sports stop, because there are greater priorities in life, things that are more important than football," Zola told ANSA news agency.
The Vatican said on Saturday that the 84-year-old pontiff was slipping in and out of consciousness and his overall condition was "very serious" after suffering a heart attack and a septic shock Thursday.