AC Milan: "We strongly disagree with the use of monkeys as images in the fight against racism." Roma: "We understand the league wants to tackle racism but we don't believe this is the right way to do it."
Tuesday 17 December 2019 17:03, UK
Roma and AC Milan have condemned three paintings of monkeys commissioned by Serie A in an attempt to stamp out racism.
The league said in a statement that the intention of the paintings is to "spread the values of integration, multiculturalism and brotherhood" and they will be on permanent display at the entrance to the Serie A headquarters in Milan.
Italian football has been blighted by monkey chants and other incidents of racist abuse this season, hence why two of the biggest clubs in the country have taken to Twitter to disagree with Serie A's use of the paintings.
Roma said: "AS Roma was very surprised to see what appears to be an anti-racist campaign from Serie A featuring painted monkeys on social media today.
"We understand the league wants to tackle racism but we don't believe this is the right way to do it."
AC Milan added: "Art can be powerful, but we strongly disagree with the use of monkeys as images in the fight against racism and were surprised by the total lack of consultation."
Serie A chief executive Luigi De Siervo has defended the work of artist Simone Fugazzotto, who is known for producing challenging work focused almost entirely on apes.
De Siervo said: "Sport, first and foremost football, is an extraordinary tool for conveying positive messages, fair play and tolerance.
"Simone's paintings fully reflect these values and will remain on show in our headquarters.
"We know that racism is an endemic and very complex problem, which we will tackle on three different levels - the cultural one, through works like that of Simone, the sporting one, with a series of initiatives together with clubs and players, and the repressive one, thanks to the collaboration with the police.
"By acting simultaneously on these three different levels we are sure that we will be able to win the most important game against the evil that ruins the most beautiful sport in the world."
Fugazzotto said the work was intended to show that "we are complex and fascinating creatures, that we can be sad or happy, Catholics, Muslims or Buddhists, but that, after all, what determines who we are are our actions, not the colour of the skin".
Earlier in December, Italian daily newspaper Corriere dello Sport was criticised for fuelling racism with its 'Black Friday' front page, depicting Romelu Lukaku and Chris Smalling.
Lukaku's agency representative Michael Yormark has hit out at the football authority for the anti-racism monkey paintings, stating that Serie A is doing more to help frustrate rather than alleviate racism in Italian football.
"It is a disgrace," he said.
"Every time Serie A opens its mouth it gets worse, every time Serie A comes out with anything with regards to racism and their strategy to combat it, it gets worse.
"The visuals they released are insensitive, are embarrassing not only for the league but for their member clubs throughout Italy.
"I cannot comprehend it. It is just indicative of their lack of understanding. It is indicative that they have no clue what to do in relation to racism in football. It is time they seek advice and counselling from organisations that understand this issue."
When asked whether players would think twice about playing in Serie A due to recent racist incidents, he said: "I would.
"It is one thing to have a challenge. You want to make sure whether it is the club or league that they are addressing concerns in the right way and protecting the players.
"At the end of the day, it is the players that people are coming to watch and the league and teams have a responsibility to protect them and create a positive environment to perform in.
"Right now, that doesn't exist in Serie A."
