In brief
Valerio Antonini was ambushed near via Barone Sieri Pepoli and Piazza Cuba in Trapani on the morning of 25 July. He was struck multiple times and fell to the ground before passersby called 118.
The 118 ambulance transported Antonini to the emergency department of Sant'Antonio Abate hospital, where he remains under observation for checks and medical treatment.
FC Trapani 1905 called the assault a 'vile and premeditated ambush' and stated it was carried out by 'a well-known figure within the Trapani organised supporter groups'.
Trapani Calcio finished last in Serie C and dropped to Serie D after accumulating 25 points of penalties. Home games are being played at Palermo's velodrome because of a stadium management dispute.
Trapani Shark, Antonini's Serie A basketball side, was excluded from the championship last season for payment irregularities. The FIP later revoked its affiliation.
Law enforcement has begun an investigation into the assault. The club said it trusts the police to identify the perpetrator and bring them to justice.
- 25 July morningAntonini attacked in via Barone Sieri Pepoli / Piazza Cuba, Trapani
- Shortly after118 ambulance transports Antonini to Sant'Antonio Abate hospital
- Later in the dayClub issues statement condemning the 'vile and premeditated ambush'
- OngoingPolice launch investigation to identify the assailant
The attack
The president of FC Trapani 1905, Valerio Antonini, was assaulted in the historic centre of Trapani on the morning of 25 July. He was walking near via Barone Sieri Pepoli and Piazza Cuba when a person struck him multiple times until he fell. Passersby intervened and called the emergency number 118. An ambulance took Antonini to the emergency department of Sant'Antonio Abate hospital.
Hospitalisation
Antonini is currently hospitalised for checks and medical treatment. A photograph accompanying the club's statement showed him on a hospital bed wearing a neck brace and with ice on his abdomen. His condition is being monitored with the utmost attention, the club said.
Club's condemnation
The club issued a statement describing the assault as a 'very serious episode of violence'. It characterised the incident as a 'real ambush, cowardly and premeditated, perpetrated by a well-known figure within the Trapani organised supporter groups'.
“It was a real ambush, cowardly and premeditated, perpetrated by a well-known subject of the Trapani organised supporters who is responsible for an unacceptable act incompatible with any human, civil and sporting value.”
The club said it is 'shocked and outraged' and expressed confidence in the police, who have already launched an investigation to identify and bring to justice the person responsible. 'FC Trapani 1905 will never tolerate any form of violence. What happened represents an uncrossable line: anyone who thinks they can intimidate, strike or influence through violence will always find a firm, determined and unhesitating response,' the statement added.
A club in turmoil
Antonini has been at the centre of growing tension in Trapani. Trapani Calcio ended the last Serie C season at the bottom of the table after accumulating 25 points of penalties, a punishment that triggered relegation to Serie D. The club's home matches will be played at the Velodromo in Palermo because of an unresolved dispute with the Libero Consorzio Comunale over management of the Stadio Provinciale.
Parallel trouble hit Antonini's basketball project. His Serie A club Trapani Shark was excluded from the championship last season owing to irregularities in social security and tax payments. The Italian Basketball Federation (FIP) later revoked the club's affiliation. In addition, Antonini's television broadcaster TeleSud was placed into liquidation in January.
Investigation underway
The police are examining the circumstances of the attack. No motive has been confirmed, though the club's statement points to a subject well known in the organised fan scene. A segment of the supporter base has been critical of Antonini's management following the double blow of relegation and the basketball exclusion.