Kick racism out of football, says Pope

BY ED WEST
FOOTBALL supporters were urged to reject racism in a papal plea read out to fans at an Italian football game.
The Pope's impassioned call to football fans across Europe to reject bigotry came before Italy's friendly with Germany last week. Archbishop Claudio Magnago of Florence read out the Pontiff's message before 35,o00 supporters in the Tuscan city.
"His Holiness encourages the ongoing common effort for the promotion of a civilisation of love through patient dialogue and reciprocal respect in every area," he said.
Benedict XVI, a Bavarian who grew up under the Nazis, lent his support to the Europewide campaign by governments and football bodies to fight a growing wave of far-right extremism on the continent, and abuse directed at black players.
It came the day after Spanish side Real Zaragoza were fined £6,000 for their fans' treatment of Cameroon player Samuel Eto'o, who had threatened to walk off the pitch after suffering monkey noises.
In Italy, nationalism has remained a recurrent problem in the national game. In January fans of Roma paraded a swastika and a picture of Mussolini at their home ground close to the Vatican, while Paolo Di Canio of local rivals Lazio agreed to meet Holocaust survivors after making a fascist salute at a game.