The likes of AC Milan, AS Roma, have come out to condemn the Serie A anti-racism campaign posters where monkey images were used to campaign against racism.
AC Milan were reported to have condemned the anti-racism campaign posters, saying they “strongly disagree” with it and were not consulted about the use of monkeys in artwork for a Serie A anti-racism campaign, BBC reports.
“Art can be powerful, but we strongly disagree with the use of monkeys as images in the fight against racism,” said an AC Milan statement.
The club added they were “surprised by the total lack of consultation” over the artwork, which will be displayed at Serie A headquarters in Milan.
AS Roma also expressed their “surprise”, adding: “We understand the league wants to tackle racism but we don’t believe this is the right way to do it.”
The embarrassing anti-racism campaign by Serie A where blacks are depicted as monkeys, according to the report by BBC, comes three weeks after Serie A clubs pledged to combat Italian football’s “serious problem”.
The ‘No To Racism’ anti-racism campaign posters show three monkeys with painted faces.
The monkey artwork will be displayed at Serie A headquarters in Milan.
“Once again Italian football leaves the world speechless. It is difficult to see what Serie A was thinking, who did they consult?” said anti-discriminatory body Fare.
“In a country in which the authorities fail to deal with racism week after week, Serie A have launched a campaign that looks like a sick joke.
“These creations are an outrage, they will be counter-productive and continue the dehumanisation of people of African heritage.
“It is time for the progressive clubs in the league to make their voice heard.”
BBC in their report, also added that European football expert James Horncastle criticised Serie A for the anti-racism campaign posters.
“Question for the league is how they can’t see what a loaded and misguided collaboration this is for an anti-racism initiative,” he said.
“If you wondered why a select group of Serie A clubs are taking anti-racism into their own hands, faith in the league is sub-zero.”
At a news conference on Monday, artist Simone Fugazzotto, who always uses monkeys in his work, said:
“For an artist, there is nothing more important than trying to change the perception of things through his own work.
“I decided to portray monkeys to talk about racism because they are the metaphor for human beings. Last year I was at the stadium to see Inter v Napoli [a match in which Napoli defender Kalidou Koulibaly was racially abused] and I felt humiliated, everyone was shouting ‘monkey’ at Koulibaly, a player I respect.
“I‘ve always been painting monkeys for five to six years, so I thought I’d make this work to teach that we’re all apes, I made the western monkey with blue and white eyes, the Asian monkey with almond-shaped eyes and the black monkey positioned in the centre, where everything comes from. The monkey becomes the spark to teach everyone that there is no difference, there is no man or monkey, we are all alike. If anything we are all monkeys.”
Serie A chief executive Luigi de Siervo said: “The League’s commitment against all forms of prejudice is strong and concrete, 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 collaboration with the police,” the BBC report added.