Italy is not a racist country, but it does have some racists: Balotelli
Apr 6, 2018 at 8:33 PM
Mario Balloteli, the Nice striker says he would have had “fewer problems” and been “forgiven quicker” for his misdemeanours if he had been white.
The Italian striker has had an up-and-down career to date, with headlines made on and off the field at Inter, Manchester City, AC Milan, Liverpool and Nice.
Balotelli has also been made a scapegoat at times – particularly in his homeland and he has been attacked with racist chants in many occasions of his long career.
The Italian national team has overlooked him since 2014, with the 27-year-old suggesting that his career has seen him forced to fight against many obstacles outside of his control.
Balotelli revealed how he has been treated in some stadiums:
“In some stadiums, people chanted ‘There are no black Italians’ at me, yet I am the proof that there are. Even if I am Italian, born and raised in Italy, the law states I only became Italian once I reached the age of 18. The law is wrong and that is perhaps why to this day some people see black as the colour of diversity, of inferiority, of an error in the middle of a team photograph.”
The 27-year old striker believes being white would have saved him from many problems he faced throughout his career.
“I think that if I had been white, I’d have had fewer problems. Perhaps I did cause some of my own problems and had the wrong attitude at times, but would I have been forgiven quicker? Absolutely yes,” Balotelli said.
When asked if Italy is a racist country:
“Italy is not a racist country, but it does have some racists in it. The change is in the hands of the next generation and we must teach our children that everyone is the same, despite apparent differences,” he concluded.