A forty-year-old father stormed the pitch and violently assaulted the thirteen-year-old goalkeeper of the opposing team, sending him to the hospital. The shocking incident occurred on Sunday in Collegno, near Turin, during the Under 14 Super Oscar tournament.
The assault happened after a match between CSF Carmagnola and Volpiano Pianese, which Carmagnola won 1-0. Following the final whistle, a verbal altercation broke out between the young players. At that point, a parent from the Carmagnola side climbed the fence, ran onto the field, and punched the Volpiano Pianese goalkeeper in the face. He continued to beat the boy until officials from both teams managed to restrain him.
The teenager was transported to Turin’s Martini hospital, where he was diagnosed with a fractured ankle and a suspected fractured cheekbone. The assailant has been reported to the Carabinieri for causing bodily harm.
“The match was very heated, and at the end, there was some teasing between the boys, as often happens, but I never thought I would see something like this,” said Andrea Mirasola, coach of Volpiano Pianese Under 14. “When we saw this parent from Carmagnola beating our goalkeeper, we threw ourselves in to stop him. We truly feared for our player’s safety. My staff, the boys, and I are in shock.”
In a statement, CSF Carmagnola called the event “a serious and unacceptable act, totally distant from the spirit that our club promotes and defends daily.” The management stated it is taking action against the parent responsible and will “constitute itself as a civil party in the relevant judicial proceedings to protect the values it represents and the entire sporting community.” The club also offered its “most sincere apologies to the young victim and his family.”
The Mayor of Volpiano, Giovanni Panichelli, expressed full solidarity, calling it “a very serious fact, especially because it was perpetrated by an adult against a boy.” He added, “Sport is about respect for the rules and, above all, for the opponent. Acts of violence should never enter the field of play… Sport must be an opportunity for community and well-being, never for division or violence.”
The Collegno episode is one of the latest in a series of violent acts in youth football.