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Statement of fact rankles multiracialists
ROME - Roberto Calderoli, head of Italy's popular Northern League party, has refused to retract earlier comments in which he hailed Italy's defeat of France in Monday's World Cup soccer final as "a victory for Italian identity."
"When I say that France's team is composed of Blacks, Islamists and communists, I am saying an objective and evident thing," Calderoli was quoted as saying today by the ANSA news agency.
His comment, in response to a complaint to the Senate by France's ambassador to Italy, reiterated remarks made on Monday in the aftermath of Italy's World Cup victory.
Italy's all-White team, from a largely devout Catholic populace, had won against "a France team which sacrificed its own identity by lining up Blacks, Islamists and communists to get results," Calderoli said on the day of the final.
Members of the France team, composed largely of non-White players, returned to France yesterday after their 5-3 penalty shootout defeat to Italy in Berlin.
France captain Zinedine Zidane gave an unexpected twist to the match when he was sent off for head-butting Marco Materazzi, after the Italian defender allegedly insulted him.
But Zidane, an Algerian, was backed by French establishment politicians.
"France admires you and loves you," President Jacques Chirac told him on his team's return from the tournament.
France's ambassador to Italy, Yves Aubin de Messuziere, denounced Calderoli's earlier comments as "an unacceptable and contemptible declaration, meant to foment hatred".
But Calderoli refused to apologize.
"France is a multiethnic nation, given its colonial past, of which I would not be proud," he said.
"It's not my fault if certain people were puzzled to see a team which lined up seven Blacks out of 11 players . . . (or) if certain players prefer Mecca to Bethlehem."
Calderoli was an institutional reform minister in the government of ex-president Silvio Berlusconi.
Source: NV and Agence France Presse
ROME - Roberto Calderoli, head of Italy's popular Northern League party, has refused to retract earlier comments in which he hailed Italy's defeat of France in Monday's World Cup soccer final as "a victory for Italian identity."
"When I say that France's team is composed of Blacks, Islamists and communists, I am saying an objective and evident thing," Calderoli was quoted as saying today by the ANSA news agency.
His comment, in response to a complaint to the Senate by France's ambassador to Italy, reiterated remarks made on Monday in the aftermath of Italy's World Cup victory.
Italy's all-White team, from a largely devout Catholic populace, had won against "a France team which sacrificed its own identity by lining up Blacks, Islamists and communists to get results," Calderoli said on the day of the final.
Members of the France team, composed largely of non-White players, returned to France yesterday after their 5-3 penalty shootout defeat to Italy in Berlin.
France captain Zinedine Zidane gave an unexpected twist to the match when he was sent off for head-butting Marco Materazzi, after the Italian defender allegedly insulted him.
But Zidane, an Algerian, was backed by French establishment politicians.
"France admires you and loves you," President Jacques Chirac told him on his team's return from the tournament.
France's ambassador to Italy, Yves Aubin de Messuziere, denounced Calderoli's earlier comments as "an unacceptable and contemptible declaration, meant to foment hatred".
But Calderoli refused to apologize.
"France is a multiethnic nation, given its colonial past, of which I would not be proud," he said.
"It's not my fault if certain people were puzzled to see a team which lined up seven Blacks out of 11 players . . . (or) if certain players prefer Mecca to Bethlehem."
Calderoli was an institutional reform minister in the government of ex-president Silvio Berlusconi.
Source: NV and Agence France Presse
