Former Juventus and France defender Lilian Thuram responded to some comments recently made by former Inter and Italy defender Marco Materazzi regarding forms of discrimination.
The ex-Nerazzurri centre-back lamented that the Frenchman did not condone personal chants insulting him whereas the ex-Bianconeri right-back has said that those personal insults pale in comparison to racial slurs.
“Materazzi’s response suggests that he does not understand what discrimination is,” Thuram said at the Turin International Book Fair.
“For this we need to educate the players to understand. If somebody says you son of a b***h, that’s an insult on you. But if someone says dirty n****r to you, if they hear it, the children take it for themselves.
“When you step off the pitch and walk around, you do it in your skin color. It is difficult when you are seen as different.
“If you analyze Materazzi’s answer, you have to do it very well: get some books, learn, and understand. And you will see that you are making comparisons that have nothing to do with it.
“He did not understand the violence of discrimination.”
