Italian club Livorno to retire Piermario Morosini's number 25 shirt

Fans pay tribute to Piermario Morosini in Italy yesterday (AP)

Serie B club Livorno have announced that the number 25 shirt will be retired following the death of Piermario Morosini.

A statement from Livorno today read: "AS Livorno Calcio announces that the '25' will be retired forever from our official numbering to honour the memory of Piermario Morosini."

Morosini joined Livorno on loan from Udinese in January, and his club today requested the media to stop broadcasting images of the incident.

"In the name of Morosini's family, Livorno kindly asks all national and international media to stop showing the video images and photographs of the time when Piermario collapsed on the pitch and of its aftermath during the game between Pescara v Livorno of 14th April, 2012."

A post-mortem examination is being carried out today in Pescara to ascertain whether Morosini's cause of death was brain or heart related.

However, the results of the autopsy may not be made public until June.

An inquiry into Morosini's death has been opened after a parked car belonging to traffic police had initially blocked the ambulance's path into the stadium and its window had to be broken so the car could be moved.

Luigi Albore Mascia, mayor of Pescara, admitted that he was taking the issue seriously.

"There has been an admission of responsibility from the traffic policeman that on Saturday parked his car in the stadium, thus blocking for a few minutes the entrance of the ambulance to the pitch, "he said to Gazzetta dello Sport.

"It is a superficial and unforgettable act that is serious.

"But, if the medical assistance was considered timely as I believe it was, then it is wrong to place direct responsibility on the traffic policeman regarding the death of the unfortunate player."

Morosini's funeral is expected to take place in his home city of Bergamo on Thursday.

Livorno players returned to training today for the first time since the tragedy.

PA