An investigation was opened after the fascist salutes of Juve Stabia supporters following the goal of Romano Floriani Mussolini, great-grandson of Italian dictator Benito Mussolini.
Juve Stabia refuses to assimilate the celebrations of its supporters to fascist salutes, after the controversy surrounding Romano Floriani Mussolini's goal. In reaction to the announcement of the opening of an investigation by the Italian Football Federation, the Serie A club took the floor to defend its player, great-grandson of Italian dictator Benito Mussolini, and its supporters , calling himself “absolute tranquility”.
In a press release, he assures that the goal celebrations “raising their arms to the sky” have been the same “for 117 years” and in particular this season on the ten other goals scored at home, and denounces “the deliberate will of a party of the national press” to create attacks against him.
“We do not accept instrumentalization”
Andrea Langella, the president of the second division club, said he was “surprised by the media coverage of this goal”. “Our ideals are always the same, they are based on fairness and respect for others, a healthy competitive spirit linked to sport, and do not change based on the last names of our members, who are exemplary young people” , he continued.
He then defended his supporters, historically left-wing: “We have supporters who make us proud because they are among the most correct in Italian football. We do not accept the exploitation of a golden boy like Romano Floriani Mussolini and the same goes for our supporters who applauded as they always did in the past with any other athlete.”
The images had made the rounds on social networks: after Romano Floriani Mussolini's goal against Cesena last weekend, Juve Stabia supporters chanted the name of the player, great-grandson of the dictator of the same name, by extending his arm in the air in the manner of a fascist salute. Since the controversy, the player has not publicly reacted but he asked to be judged “on the field not on [son] surname” in the columns of the Gazetta dello sport last November.
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