ROME

A far-right Italian member of the European Parliament is facing a backlash after his remarks about a Black player on the national women’s volleyball team.

Roberto Vannacci, a member of the far-right League party whose book The World Upside Down last year drew fire for its racist comments, sparked controversy for his remarks Sunday about Paola Egonu of the Italian Women's Volleyball Team, which won the gold medal at the Paris 2024 Summer Olympics.

"I am very happy that the Italian volleyball team won and I congratulate all the athletes, especially Paola Egonu, who is a very talented athlete,” he said after the Italian team defeated the USA 3-0 in the final. He added: “I have never questioned her Italianness, but I want to point out again that her physical characteristics do not represent the majority of Italians.”

In another comment, the far-right MEP said that he also congratulated Ekaterina Antropova, a Russian-born Italian national team player, adding: “But her physical characteristics are not exactly Italian either.”

His comments drew a backlash in Italy.

Maurizio Gasparri, a senator of Forza Italia, the League’s coalition partner in Italy, said that only Vannacci could criticize such a key player on the day when the team claimed the Olympic crown, blasting his remarks as “brainless.”

Tommaso Antonino Calderone, from the same party, said: "On the day of the Italian volleyball team's spectacular success, Vannacci arrived just in time with his theories on Italian physical characteristics.”

“Can't he keep quiet for a while? Thank you Egonu, thank you girls," he underlined.

Angelo Bonelli, leader of the opposition Alliance of Greens and the Left (AVS), said that the Olympic championship was the achievement of the multi-ethnic Italian national team.

Many Italian social media users also blasted the remarks.

In October 20222, Egonu announced her intention to take a break from the Italian national team due to the racist comments and attacks she has been subjected to.

In February 2023, she said Italy is a "racist country.”

*Writing by Merve Berker