Former Azzurri and AC Milan
coach Arrigo Sacchi is at the centre of a new racism storm for
Italian soccer after suggesting there were too many foreign
black players in professional clubs' youth teams here.
"I'm certainly not racist, as my past as a coach shows,
starting with (ex-Milan and Netherlands midfielder Frank)
Rijkaard, but after seeing the Viareggio Cup (for youth teams),
I say that there are too many players of colour, too many
foreigners, even in the academy sides," Sacchi said.
"Italy has no dignity, it has no pride. It's not possible
to see squads with 15 foreign players".
Italian soccer has been dogged by repeated episodes of
racism on the terraces in recent years and Carlo Tavecchio was
controversially elected as president of the Italian Soccer
Federation (FIGC) last year despite making comments about there
being too many "banana-eating" non-EU players in Italy.
Sacchi's comments were widely reported outside Italy,
triggering alarm and condemnation.
"There are too many racists in Italian football," posted
former England forward Gary Lineker, now a BBC presenter, on his
Twitter account, @GaryLineker.
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