An Italian photographer has taken to social media to vent his frustrations after footballer Mario Balotelli smashed his camera. The sportsman kicked the camera from its tripod at the side of the pitch after being sent back to the bench.
Balotelli was being subbed for Alfredo Donnarumma in Brescia’s game at Genoa earlier this week when the incident occurred. Clearly disgruntled at the situation, he took his anger out on the nearby gear.
Now the owner of the gear, photographer Massimo Lovati, has posted images of the damage with the accompanying details of how it happened. He explained:
When Mr. Balotelli was called back to the bench, he used the camera like a football and kicked it against the advertising boards. The ballboy who saw it happen immediately called me to explain. I found the camera and the booster were visibly damaged (the casing was smashed) and the camera no longer worked. Imagine taking your frustrations out on someone's tools of business! These are very delicate instruments that should not be kicked. It's safe to say I am furious: respect, you need respect for people who are working and their tools of business!
The photographer also revealed in his post on social media that he intends to send Balotelli’s football club Brescia the bill for damages. He also informed director Edoardo Piovani about the striker’s actions.
What’s worse for Balotelli, his team went on to lose 3-1 despite leading when the match was just 24 minutes from completion.
Lead image by Simo82, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 .
How come any teams still allow this man to play ?
Yep, sounds like Mario, the epitome of waste of space Footballer with too much money.
Well, he can use that money to replace that camera with a brand spanking new one + damages + lost wages for lost footage, + whatever the photographer can think of!
Well he could, but unfortunately for the photographer, Italy is not the USA and you usually don't sue somewhere for "whatever you can think of" :D
Yeah you need to get a quote for repair. A quote for replacement. Then you send the options to the footballer then the employer if they don't pay or get ratty you could try filing a police report. But Italy and football it's probably going nowhere.
It is damage of property. It could be considered negligent if you left it so careless that he could "trip" over it
There is a huge difference between tripping over it and intentionally kicking it. This difference should be upheld in any court of law in a civilised country if the photographer has to sue to get his damages.
It is a tedious hassle if you have to do it and the footballer should be man enough to pay the small price of buying the guy a new camera. He probably spends more on an evening out.
Yes "civilized". Italy isn't it. Football is more important than your silly camera. I wouldn't waste my time. He will get further embarrassing him than suing, or filing suit or whatever civilised course of action you may think of.
According to some news this guy earns about 4 million Euros for the season, which is 6 months long. And that isn't his only revenue. He probably spends the amount of money that a high end DSLR costs during the weekend at the club. https://www.goal.com/it/notizie/brescia-ingaggio-balotelli-4-milioni-15-...
Some time ago he got into the news because he bet 2000 Euro to convince a guy to drive with his scooter into the sea. And he lost the bet, so he had to pay. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HP6IqLHJIxE
This is sadly the cultural level we have in Italy nowadays.
Sadly, not only in Italy
I remember a few instances (when he played here in the UK) where he would just drive around and give money to random people... so he's not all bad.
Balotelli is an utter imbecile. A total waste of gene pool. Not sure why any self respecting club would hire this clown.
As an Italian, and not considering myself a racist, I was upset when he represented our team at the world championships years ago (don't remember when I am not big on soccer and one of the reasons is because of people like this guy who become idols for kids just because of their luxurious lifes) but not because of his skin color but just because I think the real racists are those who want the masses to think we are not racists like "look, we are a multiracial country" by just pushing a guy like this into something way bigger than him not to mention his private life behaviours are everything but a good example.
Soccer players have become the new celebrities here in Italy, a country who lives not out of tourism, not out of fashion, cars, food, arts, architecture, history... but about soccer, there is not a day in which there is no game and if so soccer still is major argument of discussion, a country where a team can afford to pay 100.000.000 euros for a guy who kicks a ball... what are we talking about?
I am from Napoli and if we, as a Napoli soccer team fan, won the tournament is almost solely because of Maradona who has been the greatest ever with one competitor, Pelé who, on the other hand, has been also a champion in life, unfortunately the majority of these people are only seen because of their cars, women and luxurious lives, there also are many who do a lot of charity and are good examples to imitate but those who gather gossip acknowledgment are these few like Balotelli who are more famous because of their out of the field challenges, like in this instance, than for those on field.
He, and not because he is Mario Balotelli, should apologise and offer to replace the gear and the team should evaluate for him to watch games from the bench rather than to be on field, I know I will be pointed as a racist but, unfortunately for him, this is the story of his life, from team to team just to attire sponsors, what a waste of talent...
Oh I have no doubt plenty of people hate Balotelli because he's black, but if they just dug beneath the surface a little and looked beyond his skin colour they could find plenty of legitimate non-racial reasons to not like him lol.
football*. Says enough.
.
*soccer to others
Wrong, its football to everyone around the world except for you Americans.
<sigh>
Do I look American to you?
Colour.
Aluminium.
See? :p
damn, triggered over the word soccer, I wish I had so little going on that a simple word like soccer would bother me
I am sure it could be resolved...
Dude completely lost his composure, smashed some property and forgot about it right away, since who cares about professional workers - they are just services...
It could be that this young (emotionally, maturity-wise) footballer is putting himself too high above mere mortals or he is simply a cheapo fella, or had football related memory loss...
I'd be in the car park kicking the mirrors off his pimped up Range Rover or Bentley, or whatever is fashionable for these overpaid muppets to drive now. See his reaction then.
It'd probably be a minor inconvenience, getting someone to bring him another one of his high end cars to drive home in while they took whichever one you damaged to get it repaired. There's little to nothing you could do to affect a guy like that.
Probably not wrong there.
This guy looks bald but it also looks like he has a bun? What's on his head?
They should pay for lost wages/work as well as the camera.
He's always been what we would call a "rincoglionito, I'll leave the translation to you.
Hope the photographer gets paid for the damage caused at least...
Typical bad celeb stuff...who cares.. The real question is..did he get the shot??!!
Is anyone who has followed Balotelli's career at all surprised by this?
Even when unintentional he's responsible for the damage that his action has caused. Even in Europe you can file such complaints - it's not as easy to start juridical action as in the US - but it's still no problem.
Start collecting the images, video and find a few witnesses (proof) of the incident.
Maybe his insurance will cover that kind of incidents who knows... Contact your insurer to find out.