18 July, 2009

Those Puritans in Italy

News items you aren't likely to hear from those who sing the praises of an enlightened, loose-moraled Europe:

  • Roberto Donadoni, the Italian soccer legend who is now coach of the soccer team of Naples (perpetual underdogs of Serie A, assuming they're even in Serie A, which you can't always assume) has banned women with immodest shirts, short skirts, or even short shorts from sitting in the stands during practice. He wants to keep his players focused on the game, rather than distracted by female anatomy. Neapolitans have taken to calling him 'o Talebano, "the Taliban."

    A sample of short shorts is on the man in this photo:

    The shorts were originally on the woman until they tried to view the practice. The two decided to swap their shorts so that security would admit them to the practice.

    Spectators are also forbidden to use cell phones. Goes to show that the only person in the world who can get Neapolitans to adopt a modicum of decency, let alone rules like this, would be the soccer coach. (Or at least people who want to watch Naples practice, since if I read it correctly they are not actually in Naples when they practice.)

  • In Milan, youth below 16 years of age are no longer allowed to drink alcohol, either on the street or in restaurants.

    An online survey by Corriere della Sera, a Milanese newspaper, shows that nearly 80% of readers support the action.

1 comment:

Clemens said...

There's nothing worse than a drunk eleven year old.