Tottenham Hotspur goalkeeper Brad Friedel has claimed that racist attitudes in Italy are borne out of the country's "infrastructure and school system".
The 41-year-old was part of the Tottenham side who lost 4-1 to Inter Milan at San Siro on Thursday, but progressed to the Europa League quarter-finals on away goals.
However, their joy was tempered by reported racial abuse towards goalscorer Emmanuel Adebayor and other black members of the visiting squad.
Monkey chants appeared to be aimed at the Togolese hitman while one Nerazzurri supporter brought an inflatable banana to the game.
Inter were recently fined €50,000 for racially abusing former player Mario Balotelli and his teammate Sulley Muntari in last month's Milan derby.
"They (UEFA) can do what they are doing and set up campaigns and things of this nature," Friedel told reporters.
"But until certain countries want to set up their infrastructure and school systems, and they go inside the parents' heads and the households, things will not change.
"When they do that then things will change, not so much (through) campaigns and things of that nature. I think education should be more stringent."
The American shot-stopper added: "Unfortunately I live with it every day. My wife is from Barbados so we get to see it up close and personal.
"People can talk about it being out of society all they want but I am afraid it's not.
"It's worldwide. I think it's disgusting. I think it's just ignorant people."
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| Tottenham player Emmanuel Adebayor was targeted of racial abuse by Inter Milan fans Photo: Getty Images |
The 41-year-old was part of the Tottenham side who lost 4-1 to Inter Milan at San Siro on Thursday, but progressed to the Europa League quarter-finals on away goals.
However, their joy was tempered by reported racial abuse towards goalscorer Emmanuel Adebayor and other black members of the visiting squad.
Monkey chants appeared to be aimed at the Togolese hitman while one Nerazzurri supporter brought an inflatable banana to the game.
Inter were recently fined €50,000 for racially abusing former player Mario Balotelli and his teammate Sulley Muntari in last month's Milan derby.
"They (UEFA) can do what they are doing and set up campaigns and things of this nature," Friedel told reporters.
"But until certain countries want to set up their infrastructure and school systems, and they go inside the parents' heads and the households, things will not change.
"When they do that then things will change, not so much (through) campaigns and things of that nature. I think education should be more stringent."
The American shot-stopper added: "Unfortunately I live with it every day. My wife is from Barbados so we get to see it up close and personal.
"People can talk about it being out of society all they want but I am afraid it's not.
"It's worldwide. I think it's disgusting. I think it's just ignorant people."
Related links:
Team Personal Also see:
