Mario Balotelli is not King Kong – Italy’s Gazzetta dello Sport hardly apologises
HOW has Italy’s Gazzetta dello Sport responded to criticism of its cartoon depicting Mario Balotelli – the Azzurri’s only black player – as a giant monkey called King Kong?
“We can honestly say it was not among the best products of our talented cartoonist. The newspaper is for those who read it and hence, if certain readers found the cartoon offensive, we apologise.”
We apologise not for the picture but if you felt offended. Of course, in the UK being offended is enough to cry “racism”. It’s not the intention that matters but its reception.
The paper adds of cartoonist Valerio Marini:
“At this time, a measure of prudence and good taste are necessary because everything, absolutely everything, can be misinterpreted. But those that accuse Gazzetta, and poor Marini, of racism are going overboard. This newspaper has fought any form of racism in every stadium and has condemned the boos directed at Balotelli as an unacceptable form of incivility.”
So. You portrayed him as a massive monkey.
Readers amy recall Vogue magazine’s cover of baskeballer LeBron James, dribbling a ball in one hand, with Brazilian supermodel Gisele Bundchen on the other.
Racist?
The images were chosen deliberately.
We are cancelling our subscriptions to Gazzetta dello Sport and Vogue immediately…
Posted: 27th, June 2012 | In: Sports Comment | TrackBack | Permalink
