(ANSA) - ROME, NOV 29 - An Italian who made a pitch invasion
during Monday's World Cup 2-0 win for Portugal over Uruguay
waving a rainbow LGBT+ flag emblazoned with the word 'peace' and
sporting a T-shirt supporting Iranian women and the Ukraine was
released from police custody on Monday night saying he had
wanted to "make history".
Mario Ferri said after an hour of Qatari police detention that
he had been treated well and visited by FIFA chief Gisnni
Infantino who had questioned his choice of stage for his protest
saying "why here and not in the Champions League or Serie A,
this way you're provoking (the Qatari authorities), now I don't
know how to help you, enough, you risk (punishment)".
Ferri went on: "I apologized, I replied that I get an adrenaline
shot out of giving a message for peace, and it was too important
to send a pro-Iranian women and pro-Ukraine message too.
"Qatar is demonized but I have to say I was treated very well,
in the hour I was in the police station," Ferri added saying
Infantino in the end had recommended his release and his only
punishment was a ban from attending other WC matches.
"I'm free, I was treated well, but wait for it, perhaps we're
going to get into the history books," he told reporters.
Ferri, self-styled 'The Hawk', was blanked by TV coverage as is
customary but footage of his protest has gone viral on social
media. (ANSA).
Italian Iran, Ukraine, pro-gay WC protester released
'Perhaps we've made history' says 'Hawk' Mario Ferri