Claudio Lotito, the president of Lazio, has come forward with a powerful narrative of his unwavering stance against ultras and his commitment to legality in football. In a recent interview with Il Messaggero (via Calciomercato), Lotito painted a vivid picture of his ongoing struggle against criminal elements in the sport.
“I don’t want to appear heroic, especially at this moment, but I was the first to take a very clear position,” Lotito stated. He emphasized his choice of legality over popularity, despite the severe consequences for his and his family’s personal safety. “I still live under escort, receive phone threats, even 7-8 a day, marches and chants against me, flyers with my tomb and candles, but I stand my ground and don’t bend.”
Lotito’s fight against ultras began two decades ago when he took a firm stance against providing free tickets and paid away trips. This decision, he revealed, led to numerous threats and intimidation attempts, including bomb scares. “I’ve said enough to free tickets and subscriptions and away trips paid for by Lazio. What did it entail? Everything, I escaped bombs and every attempt at intimidation, I had to strengthen my security because I stemmed the business of the curves.”
The Lazio president recounted a memorable encounter with ultras, including the infamous ‘Diabolik’. “I still remember when I met four Lazio fans. It’s all in the investigators’ files, I met them in Piazza Cavour, in front of the Adriano cinema. Four people showed up and one of them, peace to his soul, was Diabolik. Piscitelli introduced himself and said to me: ‘Preside’, good evening, I’m Diabolik’. I looked at him and replied: ‘Good evening, Inspector Ginko’. Diabolik asked me if I was joking. No, I replied. And I said: ‘I’m on the side of the guards’. I always tell this episode.”
Lotito’s defiance extends beyond personal interactions. He has consistently opposed what he sees as the misuse of football for criminal purposes. “I immediately perceived that there was someone who used football for other purposes and I loved to say: ‘Bring me your ID card, it doesn’t say ‘profession fan’.”
The Lazio president also addressed recent fan protests, dismissing claims that they were related to the transfer market. “The protest? It has nothing to do with the transfer market, which has not undergone any downsizing as the facts show. It’s an excuse to force me to sell because I’ve never given in to any privilege.”
Lotito concluded with a call to action, urging the state to take regulatory measures to prevent football from becoming “hostage to criminal associations that use this sport and others for purposes that are not sporting, such as drug dealing, usury and more.”
