Italian justice has intervened on Monday the Foggia Calcio 1920of series C (third division), due to alleged mafia pressures on the directive and the president, Nicola Canonicoby an ultras group linked to the local mafia, which orchestrated an extortion campaign to force the sale of the club.
The decision to impose the Judicial Administration of the Foggia is not preceded, being the first time in Italy that the judicial control provided by the Antimaphia Code to a football club is applied to protect it from the influence of organized crime.
Arrests and prohibitions
In addition to the judicial administration of the club, the investigations led by the Antimafia de Bari prosecutor led to the 4 people arrest for attempted extortion against the president of the club and the imposition of 52 Access prohibitions to sporting events for residents in the province of Foggia with a history for crimes of organized crime and drug trafficking.
“The investigations demonstrate how ultras groups, direct expression of the city's organized crime, planned and executed a long campaign of intimidation and violent actions to force the president of the 1920 Calcium Foggia to resign and transfer the control of the club, due to their refusal to deliver the control of sponsors, accreditations and relations within the club,” The Foggia Police Headquarters explained in a note.
The Ultra group would have orchestrated the campaign to force the sale of the club at a much lower price than its market value and the resignation of its president, using mafia methods, weapons and explosive material, such as an artisanal artifact placed near the car of the car of the Son of the president and vice president of the club, Emanuele Canonico.
Captain's car attack attack
According to the authorities, the group is responsible for a series of crimes committed since June 2023 addressed to the president, other managers and even the players, including the shooting of the then captain of the team, Davide Di Pasquale.
The attack occurred in June 2023 when the car Of Pasquale It dawned with several bullet shots and the pilot's window totally broken one day after the team lost the game for the rise to series B against Lecco.
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The Prosecutor's Office argues that this influence “He hindered planning and execution” of the sports projects of the club and “It affected the decisions and behaviors of athletes, forced to witness those criminal pressures and to fear being victims of them.”
