Italy pledges to stamp out anti-Semitism from football stadiums
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Italy signed on Tuesday a letter of intent aimed at eradicating anti-Semitism from soccer stadiums across the country.
Instances of racism and anti-Semitism are commonplace in Italian stadiums, with fans regularly booing or shouting abuse at Black players, using the word “Jew” as an insult and displaying Nazi or fascist symbols.
The initiative represents a “great contribution” to soccer, said Italy’s Interior Minister Matteo Piantedosi during the declaration signing ceremony in Rome, which also involved Italy’s sports minister and the President of the Italian Football Federation.
The declaration will forbid soccer players from wearing the number 88 – a reference to the ‘Heil Hitler’ salute – and ban symbols recalling Nazism.
It will also mandate fans to use non-discriminatory lang...