«After the threats on social networks, I was forced to hide my son»- Corriere.it

Frances in padel it is better not to face it. Often in Modena he organizes tournaments with friends and never loses: “In fact, no one wants to play with me anymore,” he jokes. She is 28 years old and pregnant with her second child (the first, Nicolò, is just over two years old) but she really doesn’t want to sit still. On the other hand, as a young girl she tried everything, from tennis to volleyball, from dance to football: «After the summer, however, I will enroll in the course to become a padel teacher. I want to teach children the values ​​of sport. Education, fairness, respect for people». With her a fan of Rome did not have: “I wonder if it will be born, sometimes it doesn’t happen”, she wrote on Instagram referring to her pregnancy. Francesca, shaken, immediately replied: «Congratulations, you are also a father. But shall we stop it?”. All on social media. All for a football game.

The penalty, the goal and the rage of the Roma players

Francesca Fantuzzi, in fact, has been the better half of for over 10 years Dominic Berardi. The two got married last summer on the shores of Lake Garda. They met when they were kids, now they are a family. Her husband, from a promising talent, has become a striker with over 100 goals in Serie A. On Sunday he contributed to Sassuolo’s victory against Roma: at the end of the first half, amid a thousand controversies, he gets himself a penalty which he will score, causing the expulsion of a rather naive Kumbulla. The Giallorossi fans are furious and a certain Marco Fancelli – name and surname are clearly visible in the stories posted by the woman – she does not hold back, wishing her the worst that a mother can hear: «He wrote to me publicly and privately. Then, after making the incident public, she hastily deleted her profile. But it can’t always end like this.”

“I want to fight for my son”

It’s not the first time she’s been targeted for her husband’s goals: «It’s happening too often. I was hoping that after the last fuss (“Crack!” Milan fans wrote to her following Sassuolo’s victory at the San Siro
) people had understood, but not». What upsets her is the nastiness of the comments: «They wish Domenico to end up in a wheelchair, they tell me to be careful because they know where I go out, with whom, at what time. They will also be just threats, but who guarantees it?». On her social networks, where she is very active, the face of her son is always pixilated: «A pity. He’s funny, really funny. Sometimes I’d like to show it, but with what courage? They write to me that they would like to hurt him, how can I rule out that one day, recognizing him, someone will throw acid in his face? Mine is not a deliberate choice, it is forced. I cannot share something so beautiful but also so poorly protected». Nicolò is still small, fortunately: «Because I would feel bad to imagine him 14 years old. What could they do to him after a goal from his father? I want to fight this battle for him».

Lessons at school for «Entering consciences»

Francesca fearlessly exposes herself: «I do it with my name, not as the wife of a footballer. On the contrary, Domenico also told me to let it go, that I would be just a drop in the ocean. But I want to talk to the kids of my generation because they will be the ones to have children one day”. First concrete action to be taken: «Enter consciences. As? At school, at least once a month, a lesson should be held on the correct use of social media. Maybe from someone who has suffered violence, so that they can explain how those on the other side of the screen feel. On the other hand, the world goes on and social networks are part of our daily lives. A country must keep up with the times. And a good country must protect its citizens. Today, too many people take their own lives because of the internet».

The appeal to politics

A second action, on the other hand, directly involves politics: «The real problem is that no one knows who is hiding behind social media. It could be the neighbor or someone who lives a thousand kilometers away. I tried to report three times, without success. There is no official regulation, nothing can be done. It should be mandatory to authenticate yourself with a document, so that the authorities can have a first and last name to prosecute. The concept of “I can do whatever I want because nobody sees me anyway” must not pass. There is a need for a special law, the minimum age limit is not enough, which is easily circumvented. I am ready to fight to get a bill on the matter to Parliament. I have known bullying, I have many friends who have had to deal with it. Many turn away from the problem, I don’t. I want to give my children a different world.”