The regional administrative court rejected the appeals of Milan and Lega Serie A, establishing the priority of public safety over sports programming. The ruling sets a precedent for future emergencies.
The Regional Administrative Court of Emilia-Romagna has closed the dispute over the postponement of Bologna-Milan on 26 October 2024, ruling in favor of the rossoblù club and rejecting the appeals presented by Paolo Scaroni and the Lega Serie A. The sentence, filed today, confirms the legitimacy of the measure to suspend the match, decided by the Bologna club in agreement with the local authorities due to the flood emergency that hit the region. The judge underlined how the safety of citizens and compliance with the orders of the competent authorities cannot be subordinated to economic interests or the scheduling of the championship.
The verdict aligns with jurisprudential precedents which, in cases of emergency, have always privileged the protection of the community, as happened during the COVID-19 emergency when entire calendars were turned upside down to contain the pandemic. The postponement of the match, initially scheduled at the Renato Dall'Ara Stadium, was imposed despite pressure from Milan and Lega Serie A, who had appealed to force the match to take place, even behind closed doors. The TAR's decision reiterates that public health and the protection of the territory come before any other consideration.
In this case, the 2024 flood caused damage estimated at over 2 billion euros and forced the evacuation of thousands of people, making safety non-negotiable. The court highlighted how current legislation, in particular Legislative Decree 81/2008 on workplace safety and environmental protection, requires sports clubs to adapt to the emergency measures adopted by local authorities. Paolo Scaroni, president of Milan, had defined the decision to postpone the match as "unjustified and harmful to the championship", but the sentence swept away any doubts about the correctness of the procedure followed by Bologna FC 1909.
The Lega Serie A, in its appeal, had argued that the postponement would have compromised sporting fairness, but the court highlighted how the current legislation and the objective conditions made the suspension inevitable. The judge also recalled that Serie A, as the top national football series, must serve as an example for the Italian sports system, demonstrating consistency with the principles of social responsibility. The case also raises questions about the management of emergencies by sports institutions.
Bologna FC 1909 acted in coordination with the Civil Protection and the Emilia-Romagna Region, demonstrating a synergy that could become a model for other clubs in similar situations. However, the ruling leaves open questions about how future emergencies will be handled, especially if they occur close to sporting events of national or international importance. The ruling introduces an element of complexity in the planning of the Serie A calendar, already known for its density and frequent overlaps with other European competitions.
The postponement of such an important match, in a championship that is played over 38 days with narrow recovery margins, risks having repercussions on other matches, forcing complex logistical and organizational choices. Companies will now have to evaluate risks related to weather and hydrogeological conditions more carefully, integrating emergency plans into their internal protocols. This could lead to greater collaboration between clubs, Lega Serie A and local authorities, but also to tensions over the distribution of responsibilities in the event of further postponements.
The precedent established by the Emilia-Romagna TAR has implications that go beyond Italian football. In Europe, where climate emergencies are becoming more frequent and unpredictable, the ruling could be cited as a reference for other leagues and federations. UEFA, for example, has already faced similar cases in the past, such as the postponement of matches due to bad weather or health emergencies, but this ruling reinforces the idea that safety must be at the center of sporting decisions.
For clubs, this means having to balance the need to guarantee entertainment with that of protecting athletes, fans and territory, a balance that will require a review of organizational and financial models. What changes now: the Bologna-Milan match will have to be rescheduled according to calendar availability and safety conditions, with priority given to compliance with regional and national regulations regarding emergency management. The Emilia-Romagna TAR ruling not only closes the matter, but sets a precedent that could influence future decisions in the event of similar emergencies.
Football clubs will now have to consider public safety as a non-negotiable parameter when planning matches, even in the face of economic or media pressure. The Serie A calendar will have to be revised, with possible repercussions on other matches already scheduled in areas at hydrogeological risk. Read at MilanNews24
The Emilia-Romagna TAR ruling marks an important precedent: public safety and respect for local authorities prevail over economic and sporting interests. The verdict reinforces the principle that, in case of emergencies, the decisions of companies and institutions must be aligned with the common good, even to the detriment of sports programming. A clear signal for Italian football and for the institutions which, in the future, will have to face similar choices. It also establishes that sports clubs are required to comply with emergency ordinances, even when these impact calendars and economic interests, defining a new standard of social responsibility for professional football. The ruling also introduces a broader reflection on the management of emergencies in modern sport, where the growing frequency of extreme climatic events requires a proactive and coordinated approach between institutions, federations and society.
MilanNews24milannews24.comBy Stefano CoriJun 27, 10:54 AMit-IT
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