Roma chief says sorry for fountain dip

THE American chairman of one of Italy’s biggest football clubs found himself in hot water after doing a backflip into a Renaissance fountain in Rome to celebrate his team’s historic win.

James Pallotta, the president of AS Roma, tumbled into the fountain in Piazza del Popolo after his team pulled off a stunning comeback to knock Barcelona out of the Champions League.

As he took the dip late on Tuesday night, just after the match ended, fans cheered, clapped and chanted “Forza Roma” (Go Roma).

But the exuberant stunt was met with indignation by some Italians, with Codacons, a consumer group, demanding that Mr Pallotta be fined.

“There is a €500 (£435) fine for anyone jumping into historic fountains in Rome. Hundreds of tourists have been sanctioned in this way in recent years and the same treatment should be meted out to the president of Roma,” they said in a statement.

Yesterday, Mr Pallotta, 60, called Virginia Raggi, the mayor of Rome, and apologised, saying he would pay any fines imposed.

Mr Pallotta then went a step further and pledged to donate €230,000 (£200,000) for the restoration of a historic fountain outside the Pantheon.

“He’s decided to make an extremely generous gesture to the city,” Ms Raggi said after a meeting with the businessman.