Napoli’s Kalidou Koulibaly insists that racism ‘must be defeated’ and that Italy should take a look toward how English football deals with such incidents.
“I grew up reading Martin Luther King and Malcolm X, viewing them as role models, mentors and teachers, symbols of a challenge that we must tackle together and, in our case, above all, through laws,” he began an interview with Corriere dello Sport.
“Racism in stadiums must be defeated, but to succeed we need the government to put deterrents in place that help curb these unhealthy habits: proceeding with banning orders like in England, even for life if necessary. If not, we risk becoming prisoners of minorities, which could multiply in size.”
The Senegalese centre back has been targeted on more than occasion and admits he still does not understand why it happens.
“If the Olimpico wound healed quickly, it was because I thought we were in the presence of a shift but I was shocked by the racism at San Siro because Milan is the most cosmopolitan city, the most European of all Italian cities.
“I couldn’t understand why there was that attitude towards me. I can’t get my head around it when it happens to others.”
