From the 16th-28th minute of the
first half to the 20th-43rd minute of the second half,
Lazio fans were hurling insults and initiating monkey chants at Juventus’ black
players, particularly Paul Pogba, Kwadwo Asamoah and Angelo Ogbonna[2].
Lazio fans and players have been known for their enthusiastic display of
far-right allegiances. In 2005, controversy hit the club when then player Paolo
Di Canio, a self-proclaimed fascist, gave a fascist salute to Lazio’s fans. A
one game ban and fine ensued[3].
In 2007, apart from chanting racist slurs and insults, Lazio fans injured five
Romanian fans and put one in the hospital after stabbing him in the side[4].
Racism and violence has been a staple of Italian soccer
as of late. But, the trend seems to mimic a long legacy of underlying fascism
paired with ethnic homogeny. In response to Di Canio’s overt fascist salute,
Sepp Blatter, president of FIFA[5],
stated that clubs that uphold racism must face relegation, suspension, and
expulsion[6].
Now it seems, however, that even 8 years later any sign of punishment is
cosmetic and is only done to appease reformists. Lazio does not even face an
outright ban. For one game, Lazio will lose just a part of their stadium and
there is no telling that these racist Lazio supporters will not merely shift
places. Even Di Canio’s original punishment of a one game ban serves as an
insult to the wider social issues in Italy.
 |
| The famous Curva Nord supporter group Attribution: Andrew |
Recently, in response to a changing ethnic fabric,
Italians have been getting cozier with Italian dictator leader Benito
Mussolini. After a visit to a Holocaust memorial, three-time Italian Prime
Minister Silvio Berlusconi stated that apart from racial segregation, Mussolini
stood as “a leader who in so many other ways did well”[7].
Had Berlusconi’s own club AC Milan not benefited from the talents of African
players, such as Prince Boateng, he could have as well omitted that racial
segregation part. The same prose exists among soccer elite. Now Sunderland
manager, Di Canio expressed his true feelings about a personal idol, Benito
Mussolini. Di Canio proclaims, “I am fascinated by Mussolini…I think he was a
deeply misunderstood individual…He was basically a very principled individual”[8].
Lazio has responded and the often controversial Curva Nord supporter group expects to end their monkey chants, but
not without a claim that the chant is banter, not racism[9].
Nevertheless, before real integration occurs in Italian football, Italians will
have to amend their past to correct the present, and then hopefully enlighten
their future.
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