Less than a month before the Sartiglia, with the countdown already underway, the Municipality finds itself having to resolve one of its most delicate issues: should the sartiglianti run with helmets and protective vests or not? To try to provide a definitive answer, the Administration has decided to consult a lawyer, seeking an opinion on the application of the Abodi decree.
The decree, in effect since March and regulating horse-racing events outside of authorized sporting circuits, appears to leave little room for interpretation: protective gear is mandatory. But there's a distinction that could change everything. Helmets and vests may not be necessary if the final document authorizing the race is signed by the organizing body, the Foundation, or by the president of the Municipal Commission for the Supervision of Public Entertainment.
This is far from a minor step, prompting the Municipality to proceed with caution. Secretary General Antonio Ara signed a resolution appointing the law firm of lawyers Stefano Porcu and Mauro Barberio to provide an opinion on the application of the ministerial decree of January 8, 2025, to the Sartiglia 2026. The cost of the operation is €5,800.
The measure acknowledges the imminence of the event and the fact that Mayor Massimiliano Sanna had already requested a veritate opinion from the municipal legal department to clarify whether and to what extent the Abodi decree applies to the carousel. However, the internal legal department, for reasons of urgency and expediency, recommended consulting an external professional.
Meanwhile, the Foundation has already made progress: in recent days, it spent 18,000 euros to purchase all the protective gear. This is a clear signal, while a definitive response is still being sought on the administrative and legal fronts.