Tavecchio In Hot Water Over Controversial Remarks
Italian Football Association President, Carlo Tavecchio, had to come out on Monday evening in an attempt to clarify comments he made during a telephone conversation with Massimiliano Giacomini, director of SoccerLife, an Italian sports website.
Italian Newspaper, Corriere della Sera, published parts of previously recorded audio from a conversation in June between Tavecchio and Giacomini in which he is understood to have said, in reference to a sale of an amateur sports association’s complex to property magnate, Cesare Anticoli, “It was bought by that lousy Jew, Anticoli”.
He appeared to try and qualify his statement by adding: “I have nothing against Jews but it is best to keep them at arm’s length”. Quotes Source: theguardian.com
He then latterly followed with homophobic remarks, allegedly declaring when asked if a former head of the Italian FA was gay? “I don’t have anything against gays but it’s better to keep them away from me. I am normal.” Quote Source: Corriere della Sera
Tavecchio released a statement on Monday saying that he was unaware of having made such comments and that he was the victim of a blackmail attempt. He told the Italian Newspaper that published the quotes that they might have been manipulated.
“It’s blackmail; retaliation from someone to whom I denied funding, who recorded me without my knowledge, not as part of an interview. What’s more, the audio file could have been tampered with”. Source: Corriere della Sera
The outcry from these remarks since being published last weekend has reverberated throughout mainland Europe with many picking up on the latest shocking comments to be made from such a high profile figure in Italian football.
The 72 year-old Tavecchio had previously been banned by UEFA for a period of six months in November 2014 following racist comments made about African footballers entering Italian football.
“England identifies the players coming in and, if they are professional, they are allowed to play. Here, on the other hand, let’s say there’s Opti Poba [a fictional player], who has come here, who previously was eating bananas and now is a first-team player for Lazio. In England he has to demonstrate his CV and his pedigree”. Source: Marca.com/en
Even after this episode, he still managed to win the election to the position of FIGC President despite expressing such outrageous opinions. The Italian FA cleared him of wrongdoing following an internal investigation, which must prompt questions over how seriously Italian football treats the issue of racism in their game.
Gay rights and Jewish groups have already condemned the alleged comments and have called for Tavecchio’s removal. If proven to be true, the reaction to this latest episode and whether Tavecchio is forced to step down will be a barometer of how seriously the authorities in Italy take discrimination.
Given their previous handling of such affairs, this is one case certainly worth following.
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