Lazio ultras called new signing Elseid Hysaj ‘a worm’ after he sang an anti-fascist anthem, proudly declaring that their club ‘is fascist.’
The row shows no signs of calming down, despite the footage being removed from social media and the club releasing a statement urging everyone to stop politicizing their players.
"Hysaj":
— Perché è in tendenza? (@perchetendenza) July 18, 2021
Perché per presentarsi ai nuovi compagni della Lazio ha deciso di intonare Bella Ciaopic.twitter.com/ca44tky5ft
Albania international Hysaj joined in the traditional ritual for a new signing of standing up at dinner and singing a song in front of his teammates.
He chose to sing ‘Bella Ciao,’ which he probably knew for its use in Netflix show Money Heist (Casa de Papel), but which in Italy is known as the anthem of the partisans who fought Benito Mussolini’s regime in the 1940s.
It is worth mentioning that David Sassoli, Italian Member of the European Parliament, also reacted to this gesture of Lazio ultras.
"My solidarity with Lazio Elseid Hysaj Albanian football player, attacked by ultras fringe and called ′′ worm ′′ in a shameful banner for singing ′′ Bella Ciao ′′ during the team's retirement.
We are recently educated from the beautiful Italian triumph to Europeans: it's a shame to break this party climate with demonstrations of intolerance that should never have citizenship in the world of sport or anywhere else." writes Sassoli on his Facebook profile.
In recent years, that has become a song associated in general with the left-wing political leanings in Italy.
A banner signed by the Lazio ultras appeared on a bridge in Rome this evening: ‘Hysaj is a worm, Lazio is fascist.’
Caso 'Bella Ciao', striscione choc a Roma: '#Hysaj verme, la #Lazio è fascista' https://t.co/psGQM9B5Oh pic.twitter.com/TlLNCpGS3b
— calciomercato.com (@cmdotcom) July 19, 2021
As if there were any doubts, one of the leaders of the ultras movement – Franco ‘Franchino’ Costantino – outlined the situation to the Adnkronos news agency.
“Historically, our fans have always been to the extreme right, and I say that with pride. Someone singing ‘Bella Ciao’ with a Lazio jersey on is just completely insane.
“Hysaj was wrong, there are no excuses.”
Lazio President Claudio Lotito has long tried to distance his club from the reputation of the fans as fascist sympathizers, but it was always a losing battle.
In 2019, a group of them famously held up a banner that read: ‘We honor Mussolini.’
They have also repeatedly been penalized for racist and anti-Semitic abuse towards players and opposition fans.