A street art piece honouring historic Olympic gold medalist of the Italian volleyball team Paola Egonu, installed overnight outside the offices of the Italian Olympic Committee (CONI) in Rome, is titled “Italianness”, referring to right-wing Lega MEP General Roberto Vannacci’s claim in a best-selling book that her “physical characteristics do not represent Italianness”.
Egonu, 25, who is from Veneto and has Nigerian parents, scored the most points in Sunday’s Olympic final against reigning champions USA, securing Italy’s first Olympic gold medal in volleyball for both sexes.
The image by Laika shows Egonu kicking a ball on the ground. On the ball are the words: “Stop racism, hatred, xenophobia and ignorance.”
The Roman street artist, who wears a white mask and pink wig and says she has been “fighting injustice” with her works in the Italian capital since 2019, said of her latest paste-up piece that it was directed against Vannacci and others who share his views.
“This victory is a slap in the face to all so-called ‘patriots’ who do not accept a multi-ethnic Italy made up of second generations and who do not want Italian citizenship by birth. It is a slap in the face to those who speak of ‘Italianness’ and mean somatic characteristics.
“There is no longer any place for xenophobia, racism, hatred and intolerance in our country.
“Racism is a social scourge that must be defeated.
“Doing this through sport is extremely important. I believe in a future of inclusion, acceptance and respect for human rights.”
“It is an honour to be represented by athletes such as Paola Egonu, (Palermo-born Ivorian Italian) Myriam Sylla and (Icelandic-born Russian) Ekaterina Antropova,” Laika continued, naming the other stars of the volleyball victory.
“It is an immense joy to see them with the most precious medal of the Olympic Games around their necks, singing the Italian anthem with great emotion.
“I dedicate this poster to all Italians who are not recognized as such by our state.”
Egonu unsuccessfully sued Vannacci over his remark about his Italian origins. A judge ruled that the remark was “inappropriate but not defamatory”.
On Sunday, the controversial general-turned-politician welcomed the women’s “great” victory, telling the AGI news agency: “I have never questioned (Egonu’s) Italian origins, but I repeat that her physical characteristics do not represent the majority of Italians.”
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