Sesto Fiorentino councillor sparks debate with social media post attacking Solomon.
Italian Serie A club Fiorentina on Friday signed Manor Solomon, an Israeli winger on loan with an option to buy from English club Tottenham Hotspur, sparking a political row in Florence.
The source of the controversy was Jacopo Madau, who is provincial secretary of the Sinistra italiana (Italian Left) and serves as culture councillor in Sesto Fiorentino, a town just outside the Tuscan capital.
In a Facebook post titled “You are not welcome in Florence”, Madau wrote: “The arrival of Israeli footballer Solomon at Fiorentina has just been made official. Last but not least, anyone who has never hidden their support for Netanyahu’s genocidal policies is not welcome in Florence and cannot represent our city and Fiorentina”.
Madau’s post attracted heavy criticism, including from fellow Sesto Fiorentino councillor Alessandro Draghi, a member of the right-wing Fratelli d’Italia party of Italy’s prime minister Giorgia Meloni.
“Being an Israeli citizen is not a crime” – Draghi said – “What fault could a 26-year-old have in the genocide in Gaza? War divides; sport, on the other hand, unites. And even the culture councillor of Sesto Fiorentino should know this.”
Francesco Casini, regional councillor for the centrist IV-Casa Riformista, also slammed Madau’s post as “incompatible with the institutional role he holds”.
“We’re talking about a professional football player, and it must be made clear right away that this has nothing to do with football” – Casini said – “This person is effectively being blamed for only one ‘fault’: that of being Israeli. This is extremely dangerous territory, which has nothing to do with peace, dialogue or legitimate criticism of a government’s policies.”
Marco Carrai, entrepreneur and honorary consul of Israel for Tuscany, Emilia-Romagna and Lombardy, also spoke out against Madau’s “disgusting” words, saying: “Those who speak of peace and declare people unwelcome are on a par, in terms of thought, with those who pushed Jews into crematoria”.
In a comment published under his original post, Madau doubled down on his views, writing: “Sport must be a vehicle for ethics and certain values; those who represent the team I’ve supported since I was born cannot support genocide.”
The arrival of Solomon in Florence comes as Fiorentina sits at the bottom of the league table and risks being relegated to Serie B unless the club’s fortunes change.
