Players’ Association President Damiano Tommasi acknowledges Italy has “a level of tolerance for racism that doesn’t come into line with other countries.”
The issue of dealing with fans making racist chants is debated in a very different way in the Peninsula, where many still do not agree with the protocol of halting play for abuse and there seem to be no real rules in place allowing clubs, stewards or the authorities to eject individual fans during a match.
Players’ Association President Damiano Tommasi acknowledges Italy has “a level of tolerance for racism that doesn’t come into line with other countries.”
The issue of dealing with fans making racist chants is debated in a very different way in the Peninsula, where many still do not agree with the protocol of halting play for abuse and there seem to be no real rules in place allowing clubs, stewards or the authorities to eject individual fans during a match.
“The feeling I took home was that we don't all view the problem in the same manner and we don't all want to confront it the same way,” AIC President Tommasi told The Associated Press, referring to last season’s summit on dealing with racist abuse in stadiums.
“Not everyone was convinced that this is unacceptable. There's always someone who says, 'Yes, but. Yes, but that's not racism. Yes, but it's only one person. Yes, but it's not a racist insult. Yes, but we can't prevent someone from saying these things inside a stadium. Too many 'Yes, buts.’
“That results in a level of tolerance that doesn't come into line with other countries.”
His comments were confirmed by Atalanta Coach Gian Piero Gasperini, who again last night insisted in a Press conference that the fans who abused Fiorentina player Dalbert was “not so much racist as rude” in the desire to insult an opponent.
“The rules are there, they just need to be applied,” continued Tommasi.
“We could sit here and talk about solutions for months. But in terms of the regulations there are only a few moves to be made, we just need to have the courage, strength and — above all — the desire to say these people can't be inside the stadiums.”