The Italian and Russian parliaments are bicameral, and the teams represented both chambers of either. The idea belonged to Italian MPs as a way to once again show solidarity with Russia and give Beslan children more money.
Italy was the world's first to offer humanitarian assistance after the Osset tragedy. Two planes brought medicines and medical equipment to Beslan.
Russians won 5-3, yet the score did not matter in the outcome. Victory was won even before the game started-the viewers' and all Taranto people's hearts were beating in unison with Beslan townspeople, Pier Ferdinando Casini, President of the Chamber of Deputies, the Italian parliament's lower house, said by way of comment.
Italians took the Beslan massacre so much to heart as if the slaughter were not far away but in their own country, Signor Casini said earlier on the day, as he was addressing the Grant Russo-Italian Interparliamentary Commission, which held session this morning.
Novosti interviewed Rossana Di Bello, Taranto mayor, before the football meet. She called the two nations to join on a powerful global anti-terror cause that would isolate those who are sowing death and violence.
There is no ideological justification of those who kill defenceless innocents. Killers is the only name deserved by terrorists who stoop to such crimes, Pietro Pastore, head of the Taranto municipal council, said in a public address preceding the match.
Speaker Boris Gryzlov of the State Duma, the Russian parliament's lower house, who headed his country's delegation at the commission session, expressed heartfelt gratitude to Italy's nation, parliament and rulers for help to, and condolence with Russia during and after the Beslan tragedy.
He thanked Italians on Russia's behalf for the help. The Italian plane was the first to reach the town, and helped to save many children's life, the parliamentary leader said to the Italian television just before the football meet.
