Rome (AFP)
The 20 clubs of Serie A have published Friday "an open letter to all those who love Italian football" to "say basta" and denounce "racism in the stadiums" which is a "cause of frustration and shame".
The letter that does not make concrete proposals has been made public by Juventus, and all the clubs of Serie A have joined.
AC Milan assured that it was the origin of a working group that led to the drafting of this text, which recalls that there is "a serious problem of racism in the Italian stadiums".
"We have not fought enough and during this season, the images of our football where some players have been the victims of racist insults have been around the world," he wrote.
"We can not remain passive and wait until all this disappears (...) There is more time to lose," continues the text. In recent weeks "a constructive dialogue has emerged from discussions with the League of Serie A, the FIGC (Italian football federation) and international experts on how to confront and eliminate this problem of the world of football," he said.
According to the letter, "the League has declared its intention to lead this course with a comprehensive anti-racism policy, with new and more stringent laws and regulations, as well as an awareness plan for all those involved in sport".
"We must act in unison quickly and with determination, and now more than ever, the help and support of all of you, supporters of our clubs and Italian football will be fundamental to such a vital effort," added clubs.
This letter follows a series of recent racist incidents in the peninsula's stadiums. Among them, on November 3 in the league, international striker Mario Balotelli, from the club of Brescia, was targeted by monkey shouts from a fringe of supporters of Hellas Verona.
In response, this player of Ghanaian origin, adopted as a child by an Italian family, was close to leaving the field permanently after violently sending the ball in the stands towards these ultra Veronese.
After this new racist episode, the Disciplinary Committee of the League had ordered the closure of the stadium area from which these cries had started, that of the "Poltrone Est". The measure was lifted on 21 November when Hellas Verona appealed to FIGC.
© 2019 AFP