Italy's Euro 2016 bid rocked by racism struggle?

Racism has always been a damaging aspect of football on a global scale, yet the racist activity in Italy is putting the sport into increasingly serious disrespect.

With the bidding for the Euro 2016 competition only a few months away, Italy face fierce competition from France, Turkey and a joint bid from Sweden and Norway. However, Italy's hopes are being damaged by the racial divides increasingly being made in Italian football - this is in no way down to the clubs themselves but for the 'supporters', who's torrential abuse of certain players are damaging one of Italian's most prestigious and popular sports.

The attitudes of most Italians against racial minorities can be backed up by their now-infamous yet incredibly simple chant heard in the stands, "there are no black Italians". One glance at Inter Milan's wonderkid Mario Balotelli tells a small yet powerful message of the attitude of Italian football fans. Donned 'Super Mario' by Internazionale's fans, Balotelli is constantly being bombarded with messages of racism by rival fans.

Bluntly put by Cristina Balotelli, Mario's sister, "those racists should be sent home" in the aftermath of a recent match against under-performing Juventus, whereupon Balotelli was targetted so viciously with racist chants that Juventus were not only fined, but forced to play their following Serie A football match with no outside support allowed in the stands.

For a team bidding for the Euro 2016 competition to be held in their country, racism is a matter that must be stamped out. Yet in a country seemingly torn by a racial divide, this is no small problem - not exactly bolstered by a Prime Minister (Silvio Berlusconi) who famously referred to US President Barack Obama as "tanned".

In Italy, citizenship is based on having Italian blood, regardless of origin of birth. Yet, it is incredibly difficult for Italian-born individuals with non-Italian parents to gain citizenship. At 18, those unable to gain citizenship at birth must undergo a long and complex process to request this right. Even so, still not everyone is granted citizenship. Although born in Italy to Nigerian parents, 25-year-old amateur footballer Emeka - playing for- is still awaited citizenship seven years after applying.

Problems arise from a divide in attitudes to race in Italy regularly. During one of Casteltodino's league matches in small-town Terni, Italy, Emeka was subject to racial abuse by an opponent, being called a "dirty Negro" during the game. In reply, the whole team walked off the pitch, taking a firm stand against the racist nature currently overshadowing Italian football. Casteltodino's players' actions made national headlines, and calls for this type of stand are inevitably going to be made. However, Casteltodino player Francesco Ribeca remarked the "money factories" of Serie A would not allow a 'walk-off' to occur in professional football, and it would take much, much more than one amateur team to make a stand for a nation to listen.

Change needs to be made - not only in Italy, but on a global scale. With several government drives already put in place in several countries, one can only hope that such behaviour will soon become non-existent.