Sampdoria President Massimo Ferrero raised doubts on Carlo Tavecchio’s FIGC candidacy after a racism row.

Tavecchio had the support of all but two Serie A clubs – Juventus” data-scaytid=”3″>Juventus and Roma – but there are calls for him to walk away after making racist comments.

Sampdoria President Massimo Ferrero raised doubts on Carlo Tavecchio’s FIGC candidacy after a racism row.

Tavecchio had the support of all but two Serie A clubs – Juventus and Roma – but there are calls for him to walk away after making racist comments.

“I was profoundly stunned, almost incredulous, faced with Tavecchio’s words,” Ferrero told the official Sampdoria website.

“I voted for him to be the candidate so that we could put into practice a renewal of the football movement based on a shared plan.

“I am working for new football, with new ideas, and for that reason I cannot share what Tavecchio said on Friday.”

Ferrero is the first Serie A President to comment publicly on the situation, but stopped short of withdrawing his support.

“I can only hope it was a slip of the tongue.”

Tavecchio was talking about the need for a work permit system in Italy to avoid poor quality players streaming in, but used ugly racist imagery.

“We say that any old Opti Pobà can come here, before he was eating bananas, now he’s playing in the Lazio first XI,” said 71-year-old Tavecchio on Friday.

He apologised for causing offence and insisted he was "not racist."

In today’s edition of La Gazzetta dello Sport, there is an editorial demanding Tavecchio step aside in the race for FIGC President.

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