Rome – A badly parked police car and lack of life-saving equipment were partly blamed for the death of Livorno midfielder Piermario Morosini during a Serie B league game at Pescara on Saturday.
The city appeared set to launch an investigation into why the vehicle blocked access to the pitch and was not promptly removed when the ambulance arrived at the Stadio Adriatico, the ANSA news agency reported.
Comments also centred on the lack of a defibrillator at the stadium, which may have saved the life of the 25-year-old, who was dead when he arrived in hospital.
Suggestions were made to make the piece of equipment, which costs about €1,000 euros, mandatory on all football pitches, as it is in other countries such as Germany and England.
Pietro Gnudi, the Italian minister of tourism and sport, spoke of the likely need of improved medical tests, although it appears that Morosini was monitored regularly in his frequent changes of club on loan from owners Udinese. – Sapa-dpa