Chimpanzee artwork at Serie A causes ‘outrage’
‘It is indicative that they have no clue what to do in relation to racism in Italian football’
Romelu Lukaku’s representatives have launched a blistering attack on Italy’s Serie A for commissioning a series of chimpanzee artworks as part of a disastrous antidiscrimination initiative.
Three paintings of apes by the artist Simone Fugazzotto have gone on display at the organisation’s headquarters after a season in which the league has come under repeated attack for failing to combat racism in the game.
Serie A general manager Luigi De Siervo was quoted locally as saying the chimpanzee paintings “fully reflect the values of fair play and tolerance, so will remain in our headquarters”.
However, Michael Yormark, chief executive of Roc Nation agency, which represents Inter Milan striker Lukaku, told The Daily Telegraph the choice of artwork – after another season of monkey chants against black players – was “a disgrace”.
The display comes less than two weeks after Roma and AC Milan issued club bans on the Corriere dello Sport newspaper for using the headline “Black Friday” alongside pictures of Lukaku and Chris Smalling ahead of a match between Inter Milan and Roma.
“Every time Serie A opens its mouth it gets worse,” Yormark said. “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 clubs throughout Italy.
“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.”
Lukaku was met with monkey noises as he went to take a penalty at Cagliari, while Mario Balotelli has also been targeted and reacted furiously, away at Hellas Verona, when he heard abuse aimed at him.
Yormark warned that players would start thinking twice about playing in Serie A.
“It is one thing to have a challenge,” he said. “You want to make sure, whether it is the club or league, that they are addressing concerns the right way and protecting the players, because at the end of the day it is the players that people are coming to watch. 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.”
Lukaku, Yormark said, was “disappointed how things are being handled” this season. “This is on the league,” he said. “It is the league’s responsibility to set the tone, direction, to have an action plan and enforce it. It starts there and needs to be reinforced by the 20 clubs in Serie A.
“How can clubs really take a strong position against racism when the league has no clue what they are doing?”
Meanwhile, Piara Power, of the anti-discrimination network Fare, told The Telegraph: “These creations are an outrage, they will be counterproductive and continue the dehumanisation of people of African heritage. It is difficult to see what Serie A was thinking. Who did they consult?
“It is time for the progressive clubs in the league to make their voices heard,” he added.
De Siervo, however, failed to see that the ape paintings could cause any fresh offence.
“The league is taking a strong stand against any form of prejudice,” he told the Football Italia news website.
Fugazzotto, the artist, said: “There is nothing more important than trying to change people’s perceptions via their work.
“With this trio of paintings, I tried to show that we are all complex and fascinating creatures. What decides who we are is not the colour of our skin.”
Last month all 20 clubs in Italy’s top tier signed an open letter which called on “all those who love Italian football” to unite to try to eradicate its “serious problem with racism”.
Anita Asante, the Chelsea and former England women’s team international, said officials at Serie A “need to have a serious look at yourselves”.
“What is wrong with you?” she tweeted. “How many people looked at this commissioned artwork and signed off on this?”
Serie A has failed to respond to numerous approaches for comment from The Telegraph.