Parents denied entry, tension at public pool in Palermo

Last Updated: May 19, 2024

Tension was high this morning at the municipal swimming pool in Palermo on Viale del Fante. A water polo match was supposed to take place and some kids were supposed to train. The athletes arrived with their parents and relatives, but they found the facility’s managers denying them entry at the entrance. The stands are unusable and the police have imposed a ban for safety reasons. The tone between parents and managers escalated to the point where someone threatened to call the police. “It’s not clear why the stands are unusable on and off. Last week there were matches and about 400 spectators were seated in the stands cheering. Today – a parent said – without any communication, they didn’t allow entry. It’s truly incomprehensible especially because many parents come from out of town to support their children who play in the championships.” The municipality has stated that the administrative police of the police department imposed the closure of the stands during an inspection. “We had warned the clubs to communicate that the pool was only open for athletes – the municipality said – Just to avoid these misunderstandings and unnecessary protests. An appeal that fell on deaf ears.”