[FONT=Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular]
San Siro race against time[/FONT]
Friday 9 February, 2007
[FONT=Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular]
Milan are working day and night to get 28 turnstiles put in place so they can let the season ticket holders in to Sunday’s game against Livorno.
[/FONT] [FONT=Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular]
The Stadio Giuseppe Meazza – also known as San Siro – was not among the six arenas cleared to open under the new anti-violence laws, but their work is nearing completion.
[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular]
“We are setting up 28 turnstiles on the old entrance to guarantee entrance on Sunday of at least 50,000 fans,” explained security chief Giovanni Terzi.
[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular]
“The deadline for the local council inspection of the ground is on Saturday morning at 10am, so both clubs are working through the night to make sure the stadium can let supporters in, even if for the moment that’s only season ticket holders.”
[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular]
Although San Siro does not have the electronic ticketing service, Adriano Galliani is confident the new turnstiles will be enough to open its gates this weekend.
[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular]
“It’s not an issue of being optimistic or pessimistic, as with 28 turnstiles manned for personal ticket checks, I think we’ll be alright,” commented the Milan vice-President.
[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular]
“We’re not asking for a full clean bill of health from the Government, but just for the season ticket holders to be able to get what they paid to see. I hope we can do this, because the city of Milan doesn’t deserve such a slap in the face.”
[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular]
To date only six stadiums in all of Italy have passed the new Legge Pisanu guidelines – in Siena, Cagliari, Palermo, Turin, Genoa and Rome.
[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular]
“Rome’s Stadio Olimpico remains open with 50 turnstiles for 80,000 people,” added security chief Terzi.
[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular]
“If Milan are therefore turned down with the added 28 turnstiles, then in my view something has to be investigated. San Siro is also the only stadium ready for a European Championship match without needing further work, so it is a secure arena.”[/FONT]