Former Juventus captain Giorgio Chiellini delivered a moving tribute to the victims of the 1985 Heysel Stadium tragedy during a presentation at the Chamber of Deputies in Rome. Speaking at the launch of Italy's national day of remembrance for the victims, set to be observed annually on May 29, Chiellini emphasized the critical need for a lasting culture of non-violence in modern sports.
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Subscribe Sekarang →"It is a day that will remain forever in the history of Juventus, of sport, and of Italian football," Chiellini stated during his address. "It is a day to remember those who are unfortunately no longer with us, a match that should have been purely a football spectacle but is instead remembered as a tragedy." He stressed that remembering the past is essential to preventing similar catastrophes in the future.
According to Juventus President Gianluca Ferrero, who also attended the event, the club remains deeply committed to honoring the memory of the 39 victims and investing heavily in matchday security. Ferrero noted that Juventus has implemented stringent internal regulations and preventative measures to ensure that individuals who do not uphold the organization's core values are barred from attending matches.
Former Juventus defender Sergio Brio shared his personal memories of that tragic evening in Brussels, recalling how the players were initially unaware of the full scale of the disaster. Based on editorial monitoring, Brio recalled seeing fans with torn clothes and crying children during warm-ups, but the team only learned the full death toll upon returning to their hotel after the match.
Observations from sports officials present at the presentation highlight that establishing this official day of remembrance represents a major milestone for Italian football. The initiative aims to educate future generations of supporters while reinforcing security protocols across stadiums worldwide.