Italy’s former soccer coach Arrigo Sacchi has told CNN he’s been misunderstood over comments attributed to him that there were “too many black players” in the country’s youth ranks.
Sacchi, who won back-to-back European Cup titles with AC Milan and led Italy to the World Cup final in 1994, has come under fire after speaking at an awards ceremony in Tuscany.
“I’m not racist and my history as a coach shows that, but watching at the Viareggio Cup makes me think there are too many colored players,” Sacchi was quoted as saying by the Italian newspaper La Gazzetta dello Sport.
The Viareggio Cup is an important Italian youth tournament.
“Business interests now come first. Italy has no dignity, it has no pride: you shouldn’t have squads including 15 foreigners,” added the 68-year-old in the Gazzetta interview.
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Tavecchio was running to become president of the FIGC when he made the comments and though several Italian clubs withdrew their support, he was elected with 63% of the vote.
UEFA also banned Tavecchio for six months but though the FIGC investigated his remarks it decided not to take any disciplinary action.
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