ROME — Facing increasing criticism by government members over the decision to play the Italian Super Cup in Saudi Arabia, Serie A’s president is hailing the match as a “historic” opportunity for Saudi women to attend an international soccer game.
After tickets for the January 16 game between Juventus and AC Milan went on sale with specified sectors for “singles” and “families” to separate men and women, Interior Minister Matteo Salvini says it was “a shame” for the game to be played in a country where women can’t go to the stadium unless they are accompanied by men.
“I won’t watch that match,” adds Salvini, an outspoken Milan fan who recently criticized the choices of coach Gennaro Gattuso. “Soccer is a slave to business and television.”
Numerous other Italian politicians also expressed outrage.
Serie A president Gaetano Micciche responds by pointing out that women can go to the match unaccompanied by men.
“Our Super Cup will go down in history as the first official international competition that Saudi women can attend,” Micciche says Thursday in a long statement.
Women were allowed into Saudi sports stadiums a year ago for the first time to watch soccer matches, although they were segregated in the stands, sticking to the “family section” away from all-male crowds elsewhere.
— AP
Illustrative: Female Saudi supporters of Al-Ahli attend their team’s soccer match against Al-Batin at the King Abdullah Sports City in Jeddah on January 12, 2018. (AFP Photo/Stringer)
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