Former Juventus and Parma defender Lilian Thuram believes that football should not be to blame for racism, and instead insists that it is a cultural problem.
The French World Cup winner has long tackled the problem of racism, taking to numerous interviews to express his views whilst ‘fighting inequality with his fame’.
“I refuse to believe the link suggesting racism spouts from just football,” Thuram told journalists whilst at an event in Piacenza, Italy.
“Racism is a cultural phenomenon, and it certainly does not just happen in the stadium and stands of football. Unfortunately, as a cultural problem, it therefore reflects on the world of football,” he added.
“History proves that Europe in general does not know how to accept other people. For example when Italians first arrived in France they were not well received.
“I think we need to change our way of seeing others.
“This is clearly unacceptable.
“I remember when I arrived in Italy this problem [within football] didn’t even exist. If a player was ‘booed’ at there wasn’t even the question of racism.
“We must put different cultures and skin colours past us, and learn to know different people.”
