Lazio” data-scaytid=”1″>Lazio chief Claudio Lotito is confident Carlo Tavecchio will be elected FIGC President on Monday despite a racism row.

Lazio chief Claudio Lotito is confident Carlo Tavecchio will be elected FIGC President on Monday despite a racism row.

Tavecchio had been supported by all the Serie A clubs except Juventus” data-scaytid=”12″>Juventus and Roma, but racist comments in his presentation speech saw Fiorentina” data-scaytid=”13″>Fiorentina, Sampdoria” data-scaytid=”14″>Sampdoria, Sassuolo” data-scaytid=”15″>Sassuolo, Empoli” data-scaytid=”16″>Empoli, Cesena, Torino and Cagliari” data-scaytid=”18″>Cagliari join in.

They signed an open letter calling for Tavecchio and alternative candidate Demetrio Albertini to stand down.

“That’s their problem. I have to ask why they would do a thing like that,” shrugged Lotito in La Repubblica.

“Maybe they were influenced by Sky, as they should be unbiased in giving information, but instead sent round the message that favoured one side.

“I have to suspect those clubs who suddenly wake up and say: take away our right to vote, come here and put the FIGC under administration. It’s unheard of.

“The truth is that politics has to stay out of sport. One time when the Olympics were on politicians would even interrupt wars. Now politicians wage war on each other to take control of football. It’s paradoxical.”

The left-wing side of Italian politics have called Tavecchio an unsuitable candidate due to his racist comments, whereas the right-wing insisted his apology for a ‘gaffe’ was enough.

“Not even Barack Obama received as much media scrutiny as Tavecchio,” continued an angry Lotito.

“I think that before his famous speech, in which he referenced bananas, he touched a sensitive spot when he asked for the abolition of veto powers.

“The open letter by those clubs is not reasonable at all, because this is an issue of mathematics. If Tavecchio wins the vote, even by 50.1 per cent, he still has 15 out of 21 counsellors behind him and can govern. I count the votes and an open letter is worthless.

“Albertini is just a Trojan horse to bring politics into football. As for administration, we’re still paying the price for the last one in 2006, when they caused incredible damage. Football is not a normal business.

“Could Tavecchio be deferred to the Disciplinary Commission for racist comments? I am not afraid of that.”

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