A 26-year-old amateur footballer’s sudden death on the pitch on April 14, 2024, has sparked an investigation into potential manslaughter and a wider conversation about safety protocols in Italian sports. Mattia Giani, playing for Lanciotto Campi against Castelfiorentino United, collapsed during the match and later died—a tragedy that has shaken the Tuscan region.
The Florence Prosecutor’s Office has opened a preliminary investigation, currently focusing on three individuals. Prosecutors have requested an evidentiary hearing to clarify the events leading up to Giani’s death, but the judge must still approve the request. “We cannot go too far – explains the lawyer Duccio Baglini, lawyer for the Giani family – because the evidentiary incident is a request from the prosecutor’s office which has yet to be accepted by the judge. If it were not to be accepted, the ball would go back to the prosecutor’s office again. I believe that within about ten days we will know more”.
While investigations point to arrhythmogenic cardiomyopathy—a difficult-to-detect heart condition—as the likely cause of death, Giani’s family isn’t seeking blame, but answers. “Mattia’s parents are not looking for any revenge – underlines Baglini -. They are not angry with anyone. They just want to understand if, in case something didn’t go as it should have, something more could have been done to save him. There is no desire for revenge, but only the need to know if Mattia could have been saved”.
Safety Concerns Extend Beyond the Elite Level
The case highlights a critical disparity in medical resources available to amateur athletes. Mandatory medical personnel and ambulance presence are only required for matches in the Excellence championship and above. Lower leagues often rely on the quick thinking of those present and the availability of automated external defibrillators (AEDs). “What can and must be improved – explains Baglini – is the use of the defibrillator. It must become a truly accessible tool, not only on football pitches but everywhere, as a real civic norm”.
Dr. Nicola Armentano, a sports doctor and municipal councilor, emphasizes the importance of widespread AED access and training. “In the Metropolitan City we are trying to bring them to the most frequented places and also on provincial police cars. At the same time we promote the training of lay rescuers, because the first intervention can make the difference”.
The Tuscany Region recently passed legislation aimed at improving prevention and early diagnosis, including cardiological screenings in schools, resuscitation courses, and a comprehensive mapping of available defibrillators. However, Dr. Armentano cautions that not all cardiac pathologies are easily detectable. “Cardiac pathologies cannot always be intercepted with a simple electrocardiogram – explains Armentano -. Some are subtle and require more in-depth tests. The current system prevents many events, but not all”.
The emotional toll of the tragedy extends to those present on the field that day. Andrea Vaglini, former general director of Castelfiorentino, declined to comment on the case, having left football in the wake of Giani’s death.
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