The Azzurri respond to those who insulted them on social media

“Thanks for the racist comments, you’ve given us a boost.” After their golden feat at the Under-20 European Championships, the Azzurri have lifted a weight off their shoulders. David Torresani, one of the protagonists of Italy’s wonderful run to victory over Lithuania in the final, wrote this in a story.
It was a knot in their throats throughout the adventure, and it will remain there forever.

They were criticized and insulted, offended because of the color of their skin when, on July 12, Italbasket published a photo of the team ready for the Under-20 European Championship. Dozens of shameful comments were written below, full of racist insults towards some of our boys. The response came from the court. From Assui, Torresani, Marangon, Atamah, Osasuyi, Airhienbuwa together with Trucchetti, Ferrari, Iannuzzi, De Martin, Valesin, and Zanetti. They achieved a victory that was perhaps unexpected and therefore even more beautiful.

Petrucci’s message —  Federbasket president Gianni Petrucci has sided with his players: “I read the comment by David Torresani, our athlete who just won the gold medal at the Under-20 European Championship. I know what it means to be targeted by insults and harsh comments on social media, and I also know that it is usually those who achieve important results in their careers who are insulted. In addition to congratulating David, I want to reassure him that those who allow themselves to post racist comments are uneducated and disconnected from the world, who are struggling to cope with the reality of 2025 and therefore feel the need to express their deep personal discomfort in such a vulgar and humiliating way.”