(by Cristian Cocuccioni) «The rugby match will not take place»: the owner of FC Rieti, Marzio, was categorical, firm and quite agitated Leonciniin today’s press conference at the Scopigno stadium. The center of the dispute is the rugby match between Italia The oval ball match is scheduled for February 6, two days before the championship match between FC Rieti and Monti Prenestini.
The fracture arises precisely from here: Leoncini’s club denied the use of the stadium, while the Sport councilor Chiara Mestichellithrough an official press release, reiterated that the international match will be held regularly. Words that made the amaranth-celeste number one’s anger explode. «We are fed up, tired and pissed off. As a society we are pissed off,” Leoncini declared bluntly. «The municipal administration is causing us enormous inconvenience. I reiterate, without wanting to denigrate anyone, that the one on 6 February is not the senior national rugby team. Among other things, I have always been a promoter of sporting events.”
The owner of FC Rieti then wanted to clarify the investments carried out in recent years: «Many don’t know how things really are. In three years, starting from the First Category, we spent one and a half million euros without anyone forcing it on us, plus another 600 thousand euros for Rietello. We have done more than expected in the Scopigno management tender.”
Leoncini’s sights end up with councilor Mestichelli, the entire municipal administration and Maurizio Amadeiregional delegate of the FIR and organizer of the event. “Amadei doesn’t know the damage he is causing us,” he accused. «And when the councilor says he helped the Leoncini family, he says things that are not true. Indeed, he caused us damage, starting from when he granted the stadium to SSA Rieti. I invite the administration to check whether that company has finished paying.”
Leoncini then goes into the merits of the administrative question: «The fundamental point is that we are unable to sign the agreement. When Mestichelli states that the match will take place, it reminds me of impositions from other times. The cards must be read. We received a phone call and made it clear that the match could not be played. I found out about an inspection of the FIR with the councilor and I introduced myself reiterating our denial. Everything written in the councilor’s statement is not true.”
The worry principalreiterated several times, the state of the turf remains: «We don’t want rugby bad, but we don’t want the stadium to close. In February it is cold, the grass would struggle to grow and the damage would fall on FC Rieti and all athletes. The Olympic stadium’s surface is in rolls, ours is sown and cared for.”
Parole very hard also on a political and institutional level: «I have never mixed politics, but this administration is making mistakes and is causing us damage. For those who govern, only the catwalks count, while those who invest money in sport in Rieti are penalized. Mestichelli doesn’t know the sporting world. The stadium will remain closed, the police will have to come if necessary. Because the rugby match won’t take place.”
No openness to dialogue, at least for now: «I won’t meet Mestichelli. They are ungrateful people. When they say they help us it’s not true: we’re the ones who let them do the catwalks.” Bitter but peremptory closing: «They should just praise us and say thank you. We’ll take stock at the end of the year. This time, “the foreigner does not pass”.
Photo: Emiliano GRILLOTTI ©
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