- Wall painting for gold-medal volleyball player racistly smeared
A mural dedicated to Italian volleyball star Paola Egonu in Rome has been vandalized with racist graffiti. The artwork by street artist Laika, which was installed last Monday outside the headquarters of the Italian National Olympic Committee (CONI), depicted the black volleyball player celebrating with the Italian national team after winning gold at the Paris Olympics. Egonu's skin was painted over in pink.
Originally, the 25-year-old was shown in mid-spike, with the colors of the Italian flag and the word "Italianità" (Italianness) painted beside her. Egonu is wearing the Italian national team jersey and holding her newly won gold medal. Born in northern Italy to Nigerian immigrant parents, Egonu became an Italian citizen in 2014 and has previously faced racism. Recently, a passage from the controversial book by Italian former army general and MEP Roberto Vannacci sparked outrage, in which he wrote that Egonu's physical features did not represent "Italianità". Laika said the word beneath the mural is a reference to Vannacci.
Rome's mayor, Roberto Gualtieri, condemned the vandalism as a "shameful insult to a great Italian who has brought our country to the top of the world". He expressed sadness that in 2024, there are still racists "trapped in their own ignorance". Italian sports minister Andrea Abodi expressed solidarity with Egonu.
The vandalization of the mural honoring Paola Egonu, a celebrated Italian volleyball player, during the Olympic Games, is a regrettable incident that contradicts the values upheld during such global events. Paris, where Egonu earned her gold medal, stands as a testament to her exceptional talent and resilience, despite facing racist remarks earlier.
