Italy manager Roberto Mancini has defended children wearing costume as Nigerian striker and Serie A top scorer Victor Osimhen during carnival week in Naples.
Sporting costumes, masks and capes, both adults and children traditionally attend the carnival dressed as one of their heroes – and this year, several children chose to embody Osimhen, who has netted 20 goals in 24 matches for Napoli this season.
In a video that has gained millions of views on twitter, a user showed a boy dressed in Napoli jersey and blacked up with a mask to look like Osimhen.
The dressing however attracted some backlash on social media as fans hit out at the culture as racism.
A Nigerian writer, Sabrina Efionayi took to facebook to criticise parents for allowing their children to use blackface during the carnival.
“Every time a player with black skin excels in a team (in this case, Napoli), I always feel this tremendous angst over how people think he should be celebrated.
“From Gino Sorbillo painting his face black to show solidarity with Koulibaly, to the children you painted brown in “honour” of Osimhen for Carnival.
“Trust me, it is not celebrating him at all. It gives me goosebumps if you think it is showing solidarity, being amusing or supportive of the Nigerian player.”
Mancini swiftly took to Instagram to hit back at Efionayi’s criticism, posting an image of young fans in their Osimhen outfits.
“Where some see racism, I see only wonder,’ the Euro 2020 winner urged.
“Sport is inclusion and you kids are giants!”
Italy’s approach to racial sensitivity has been heavily questioned in recent years, especially in relation to the popular television programme ‘Tale e Quale Show’, which has seen white celebrities use blackface to transform into iconic music artists and perform as them.
