Josep Martinez’s Harrowing Day: A Dramatic Account of a Fatal Accident

The news sent shockwaves across Italy. Yesterday morning, social media erupted when several Italian journalists reported that Inter Milan had canceled Cristian Chivu’s press conference, scheduled a day before their Serie A match against Fiorentina. Shortly after, the grim details emerged. Josep Martinez accidentally struck and killed a man in a wheelchair while heading to Inter’s training center.

The Fatal Illness Theory Remains

Early reports indicate that the incident occurred around 9:30 AM, following a medical emergency with the victim, an 81-year-old man. This caused an unexpected maneuver in the wheelchair. According to Gazzetta dello Sport, the victim was identified as Paolo Saibene, who frequently used the bike path along Route 32, located 5 km from Inter’s training center. Witnesses suggest that the theory of a fatal illness has credibility, as the 81-year-old was seen swaying oddly before veering into the road.

Sadly, Josep Martinez arrived at that moment and could not prevent the tragedy, which occurred near Bergamo in Fenegrò, a small village in the province of Como. The backup goalkeeper and the woman driving behind him immediately attempted to help Mr. Saibene, but it was in vain. Martinez was not injured, but he was in shock. Several teammates who took that same route to training saw him sitting by the road, holding his head in his hands.

Martinez Faces 2 to 7 Years in Prison

The Spanish player was driving a ByD vehicle, recently provided to him two weeks ago, and he was on his second drive. The pink paper reported that he was not speeding on the road, which has a limit of 70 km/h. Additionally, both alcohol and drug tests returned negative results. Inter Milan quickly sent support for their goalkeeper, who later provided a statement at a police station with the club’s lawyer. Investigators have seized Martinez’s phone to determine if he was using it at the time of the incident.

Regarding potential penalties, Gazzetta explains that the goalkeeper could face 2 to 7 years in prison under Article 589 bis of the Penal Code. Consequently, Inter logically canceled Chivu’s press conference, although training still went ahead, likely under challenging circumstances. Martinez returned home around 6 PM, accompanied throughout the day by several club officials, including the team manager, security head, and team doctor. Waiting for him at home was a club psychologist, as the player reportedly struggled to discuss the events. Martinez has since closed his social media accounts and will be absent from training for several days, pending the outcome of the investigation.