This archive report was first published on 17 December 2019.
Italy's Serie A has been at the center of controversy in recent months, with racial tensions running high in the country.
On December 17, 2019, the league launched an anti-racism campaign, but it backfired after using images of monkeys to depict the message.
The campaign, which aimed to tackle racism in football, was met with widespread criticism from fans, players, and clubs alike.
AC Milan and Roma were among the first to condemn the campaign, stating that there were better ways to relay the message.
"Art can be powerful, but we strongly disagree with the use of monkeys as images in the fight against racism," AC Milan said in a statement.
Roma also expressed shock at the tactics used, saying, "We understand the league wants to tackle racism but we don't believe this is the right way to do it."
The backlash against the campaign was not limited to the clubs. Former Everton defender Sylvian Distin also weighed in, saying it was hard to understand how racism was being fought with something that looked like racism.
Simone Fugazzotto, the brains behind the campaign, defended the artwork, saying he was simply trying to change the perception of some images.
However, his explanation did little to ease the outrage, with many calling for the campaign to be scrapped.
As the controversy continues to unfold, one thing is clear: the use of monkey banners has sparked a heated debate about racism in football and the best ways to tackle it.
