Children's tournament abandoned for parents' behaviour

A football tournament for nine and 10 year olds in Bergamo, Italy, was abandoned because of the behaviour of parents, which included fighting and shouting homophobic insults towards a child and a referee.

The tournament was arranged by Serie D club Villa Valle, and Italian news agency Ansa reported , external that the referees used were young people involved at the club.

Organisers of the event and the coaches of all teams involved agreed to suspend the tournament during the final match of the day because of the parents' quarrels which also included spitting and booing opposing teams.

Villa Valle posted a statement on social media, condemning the behaviour which they described as "painful to witness", but also praised the attitudes of the children playing and their coaches.

"Villa Valle wishes to express its strongest condemnation of the disrespectful and violent behaviour displayed by some parents in the stands," the club said.

"With deep disappointment, our club found itself compelled to take a decision that was as difficult as it was necessary: to bring the final match of the tournament to an early end and to suspend the awards ceremony, in order to send a strong and unequivocal message against attitudes that have nothing whatsoever to do with the values of sport.

"After a day characterised by matches played in a spirit of fairness, mutual respect and sportsmanship by the young athletes and coaching staff, it was particularly painful to witness such deplorable incidents in the stands.

"We strongly believe in the educational value of sport, especially at youth level, and we are convinced that adults should serve as positive role models for young people, not become the protagonists of behaviour that risks undermining the true meaning of these events."