As part of an anti-Semitism drive coordinated by Italy’s government and football federation (FIGC), football players in Italy were told on Tuesday that they are not allowed to wear the number 88 on their jerseys. This restriction came into effect immediately.
An agreement to combat the phenomena of anti-Semitism at Italian stadiums was signed by the country’s Interior and Sport Ministers, as well as the coordinator in the fight against anti-Semitism, with the head of the FIGC, Gabriele Gravina.
The agreement also stipulates that games must be stopped “in the event of anti-Semitic chanting or behavior.”
Due to the fact that the letter ‘h’ is the eighth letter in the alphabet, the number 88 is a reference to the phrase “Heil Hitler” that was used by Nazi Germany.
During the local derby that took place in March between Roma and Lazio, a supporter of Lazio was seen wearing a replica shirt with the name “Hitlerson” and the number 88 printed on the back.
He was a German fan and was one of three individuals who were permanently barred from attending matches by Lazio.
This match, which was also overshadowed by widespread anti-Semitic chanting by Lazio supporters, an offense which resulted to a suspended one-match stand closure, took place on April 14.
A week and a half earlier, a group of about one hundred Lazio fans were caught on camera taking great pride in the fact that they were racist during a song that insulted Roma supporters by claiming that their fathers were deported to Nazi concentration camps.
The event was only one of a litany of incidents involving diehard Lazio supporters, some of whom are among the most conservative in a nation in where fascist fan clubs are a common phenomena.
After being suspended by the club for giving a fascist salute at the conclusion of a match, the handler of Lazio’s eagle mascot lauded dictators Benito Mussolini and Francisco Franco during the previous season.
A midfielder for Atalanta named Mario Pasalic and a defender for Lazio named Toma Basic, both of whom have represented Croatia at the international level, wore the number 88 on their Serie A jerseys during the most recent competition.As part of an anti-Semitism drive coordinated by Italy’s government and football federation (FIGC), football players in Italy were told on Tuesday that they are not allowed to wear the number 88 on their jerseys. This restriction came into effect immediately.
An agreement to combat the phenomena of anti-Semitism at Italian stadiums was signed by the country’s Interior and Sport Ministers, as well as the coordinator in the fight against anti-Semitism, with the head of the FIGC, Gabriele Gravina.
The agreement also stipulates that games must be stopped “in the event of anti-Semitic chanting or behavior.”
Due to the fact that the letter ‘h’ is the eighth letter in the alphabet, the number 88 is a reference to the phrase “Heil Hitler” that was used by Nazi Germany.
During the local derby that took place in March between Roma and Lazio, a supporter of Lazio was seen wearing a replica shirt with the name “Hitlerson” and the number 88 printed on the back.
He was a German fan and was one of three individuals who were permanently barred from attending matches by Lazio.
This match, which was also overshadowed by widespread anti-Semitic chanting by Lazio supporters, an offense which resulted to a suspended one-match stand closure, took place on April 14.
A week and a half earlier, a group of about one hundred Lazio fans were caught on camera taking great pride in the fact that they were racist during a song that insulted Roma supporters by claiming that their fathers were deported to Nazi concentration camps.
The event was only one of a litany of incidents involving diehard Lazio supporters, some of whom are among the most conservative in a nation in where fascist fan clubs are a common phenomena.
After being suspended by the club for giving a fascist salute at the conclusion of a match, the handler of Lazio’s eagle mascot lauded dictators Benito Mussolini and Francisco Franco during the previous season.
A midfielder for Atalanta named Mario Pasalic and a defender for Lazio named Toma Basic, both of whom have represented Croatia at the international level, wore the number 88 on their Serie A jerseys during the most recent competition.