<
>

Roma president condemns fans over banners insulting victim's mother

Roma president James Pallotta has condemned the club's fans for displaying banners criticising the mother of the Napoli fan killed by a Roma supporter before last season's Coppa Italia final against Fiorentina.

Ciro Esposito died in hospital a month after being shot during outbreaks of fighting before the match.

The victim's mother, who has called for an end to violence around football and said she forgives the gunman, was targeted by banners displayed by Roma fans as they defeated Napoli 1-0 at home on Sunday.

One banner accused her of using her son's death for personal gain.

In a statement on Roma's official website, Pallotta said: "As has been expressed repeatedly, AS Roma considers any events that lead to the loss of life at a football match to be a defeat for civil society as a whole, regardless of affiliations to clubs or fan groups.

"The enormous pain that follows such events deserves maximum, unconditional respect from all and necessitates that all parties -- fans, clubs and law enforcement agencies -- strive to ensure that such pain is not renewed, not even verbally, in the stands of a stadium."

Esposito's mother, Antonella Leardi, told the ANSA news agency: "May God change the hearts of those people who wrote those banners.

"I watched the game on TV and I was hurt by those words. It pains to hear such horrible things said about a son who has been lost."