Rome, 12 May (LaPresse) – ‘When things have reached this stage, the opportunity has already been missed; in my view, the fact that we find ourselves before a judge is a sign not only of how we got here, but of how we started out.’ This was how Sports Minister Andrea Abodi responded to reporters at the Quirinale regarding the Serie A League’s decision to appeal to the Lazio Regional Administrative Court against the decision of the Provincial Committee for Public Order and Safety to postpone the match to Monday 18 May at 8.45 pm for reasons of public order, given the clash with the BNL Italian Open. A lesson for next year? “There are always lessons to be learnt, and each time it’s a new one, but there have been previous ones too. I’d say that when the sporting calendar isn’t an extraordinary event but a tradition that’s repeated, those elements must be fixed points. The main point is that we must bear in mind that this entire organisation is based on the premise of serving the fans, the enthusiasts, those who have the privilege of attending in person and those who watch the events on television, as best as possible. If we lose sight of that objective, it becomes a tired routine that forgets the priorities,” replied the minister.