Sports

Eugene

(61,899 posts) Sat Apr 27, 2019, 11:16 PM Apr 2019

Trieste half-marathon accused of racism in excluding Africans

Last edited Sun Apr 28, 2019, 08:43 AM - Edit history (1)

Source: The Guardian

Trieste half-marathon accused of racism in excluding Africans

Organisers say move is intended to highlight the exploitation of African athletes in Europe

Angela Giuffrida
Sat 27 Apr 2019 15.03 BST Last modified on Sat 27 Apr 2019 15.49 BST

The organisers of a half-marathon in the northern Italian city of Trieste have been accused of racism over their decision to exclude African athletes from the race.

Fabio Carini, the president of Apd Miramar, the company organising the 5 May event, said the decision to only open the race to European participants was to call out the exploitation of African runners.

“This year we decided to only take European athletes to make a point that measures must be taken to regulate what is a trade in very high-worth African athletes, who are simply exploited,” he told La Repubblica newspaper. “This is something we can no longer accept.

-snip-

But the move provoked outrage from leftwing politicians, with Isabella De Monte, an MEP with the centre-left Democratic party, suggesting that the organisers were “cleansing” sport.

“The exploitation of athletes is being used as a fig leaf – regarding such questions, there are places and appropriate bodies to turn to,” she said. ...

-snip-

Read more: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/apr/27/trieste-half-marathon-accused-racism-excluding-africans

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Update: Trieste half-marathon backtracks on exclusion of Africans (The Guardian)

3 replies

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Trieste half-marathon accused of racism in excluding Africans (Original Post) Eugene Apr 2019 OP

Italy seems to be having a lot of exclusion issues lunasun Apr 2019 #1

Tired of getting your asses kicked? Bayard Apr 2019 #2

Trieste half-marathon backtracks on exclusion of Africans Eugene Apr 2019 #3

lunasun

(21,646 posts)

1. Italy seems to be having a lot of exclusion issues

Reply to Eugene (Original post)

Sat Apr 27, 2019, 11:33 PM

Apr 2019

Carini said he would not back down and would invite organisers of other marathons to follow suit.

The controversy follows a series of racist incidents in Italian football, with two AC Milan players subjected to racist chants by Lazio fans during a match on Wednesday night.
Shortly before the game Lazio supporters made a tribute to the Italian fascist dictator Benito Mussolini on a street in Milan.
Lazio =Rome

Bayard

(22,075 posts)

2. Tired of getting your asses kicked?

Reply to Eugene (Original post)

Sun Apr 28, 2019, 12:48 AM

Apr 2019

African runners have ruled the longer distances for many years now. Their training is of a practical nature, and starts at an early age, running miles back and forth to school. Sometimes barefoot. Its also typically at altitude--proven to improve oxygen-carrying capacity in blood cells. Their diets are simple, and there is not a McDonald's on every corner. Its a way of life, not "exercise".

So yes, its racism to exclude these athletes, with a fair amount of ego and jealousy in the mix. You won't hear African athletes complaining of being, "exploited". They are making good livings. They are heroes in their own countries, and around the world.

Stop your bitching and study the African's training.

My 2 cents.

Eugene

(61,899 posts)

3. Trieste half-marathon backtracks on exclusion of Africans

Reply to Eugene (Original post)

Sun Apr 28, 2019, 08:45 AM

Apr 2019

Source: The Guardian

Trieste half-marathon backtracks on exclusion of Africans

Organisers invited only Europeans to draw attention to exploitation of African athletes

Angela Giuffrida
Sun 28 Apr 2019 11.39 BST Last modified on Sun 28 Apr 2019 12.23 BST

The organisers of a half-marathon in the northern Italian city of Trieste have backtracked on their decision to exclude African athletes from the race following accusations of racism.

“After launching a provocation that hit a nerve, drawing great attention to a fundamental issue, contrary to what was communicated yesterday, we will also invite African athletes,” Fabio Carini, the manager of the Trieste running festival, said in a statement.

Carini provoked fury on Saturday after saying only European professional runners would be invited to take part in the event on 5 May in order to draw attention to the exploitation of African athletes.

-snip-

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