Siracusa ultras tell women to stay back

(ANSA) - Palermo, August 22 - As die-hard Lazio ultra male football fans issued a statement telling women to stay in the back rows of the Olympic Stadium in Rome, their counterparts in Siracusa followed suit and sparked the ire of female fans. The female fans of the Serie C football team on Wednesday announced that they would be splitting from their male counterparts. "The Curva Anna Siracusa," a flyer printed by the group stated, "is aligning itself with the statement issued by the Curva Nord Lazio and finds the criticism aimed at Lazio fans - by those who from political correctness of false do-goodery - sterile and baseless. The front row seats have always been occupied by those living the Curva experience. There is no sexism or discrimination against the women in the rows behind them. This is shown by the fact that our Curva is named after an important woman (the sector was named after the mother of a Siracusa fan, Ed.) and that fact that there are the 'Aretusee' in our group, who were raised in an orderly and disciplined manner." This year, however, the places for the women in Curva Anna will be moved back a few rows "not to degrade them, but for the new line adopted". The female football fans said that they would then split from the group. "Unfortunately," the statement issued by the 'Aretusee' said, "those siding with the stand taken by the Lazio Curva Nord are saying that women must take a step back. We Aretusee disassociated ourselves from this idea and despite the sacrifices made to be ever present at the side of our brothers, we are folding up our banner and our flag, declaring that the women's movement Aretusee is over. This is a sad decision. It was a very hard choice to make."