The Italian sports journalist Luciano Passirani has been fired from his employer. The 80-year-old had praised Inter Milan star Romelu Lukaku as one of the best transfers Inter made in the sports show "Qui Studio a Voi Stadio Show". No other team in Italy has a player like him. Then Passirani added, "The only way to stop it is to say, here are ten bananas that you can eat."
Program Director Fabio Ravezzani said that although Passirani apologized immediately, he will not be part of the show anymore. "I think it was a bad case of temporary lack of clarity," Ravezzani said. "I can not accept mistakes, even if they were temporary."
Newcomer Lukaku had been racially insulted earlier this month in a visit to Cagliari. Shortly before the execution of an eleven-meter monkey sounds sounded in the direction of the shooter. Subsequently, Lukaku published an appeal against racism. This in turn prompted supporters of his new club to explain to the Belgian international in an open letter that the apes are not "real racism".
Milans Kessie in Verona apparently also racially offended
Miguel MEDINA / AFP
Franck Kessie
The Italian football has a racism problem, regularly colored football players are insulted in Italian stadiums. Last Sunday, Milans Franck Kessie reportedly received racist chanting in the Serie A match at Hellas Verona (0: 1), according to a Gazetta dello Sport report.
Verona wrote on Twitter on Monday that the songs were probably misunderstood amidst the loud cheers of the supporters and "inevitable whistles for refereeing decisions that make us amazed to this day." Veronas Mariusz Stepinski had flown with red in the first half. The club demanded "respect for Verona and the Veronese".
Fischi, inevitabili, by decisioni arbitrali che lasciano ancora oggi molto perplessi, e poi tanti applausi, ai nostri "gladiatori", a fine gara. Non scadiamo in luoghi comuni ed etichette ormai scucite. Rispetto by Verona ei veronesi. # Respect
- Hellas Verona FC (@HellasVeronaFC) September 16, 2019Lukaku, in his statement after the Cagliari incident, urged all players to join forces in the fight against racism: "We players need to band together and make a statement on this issue to keep the game clean and enjoyable for everyone."
