December 14, 2005
Italian soccer player Piero Di Canio has come under fire for raising his arm in a fascist salute during a football match. Di Canio, who plays for Rome’s Lazio team, gave the salute to his team's fans at a match in Livorno on Sunday. Di Canio, who has fascist symbols tattooed on his arms, later said he was proud of the gesture. He added that it would be “serious” if disciplinary action was taken against him “after the Jewish community protested.” Vittorio Pavoncello, who heads the Italian Maccabi Federation, has asked Rome’s Jewish community to consider taking legal action against Di Canio. The player is expected to be disciplined for his gesture under Italian anti-hate laws. He was already fined US$ 12,000 for a similar incident in January.