Football
Ben Gladwell, Italy correspondent 10y

Carlo Tavecchio racism probe dropped

The Italian Football Association (FIGC) is no longer planning to investigate its president Carlo Tavecchio's racist remarks during his election campaign.

Tavecchio was elected as the successor to Giancarlo Abete as FIGC president earlier this month, winning an election against Demetrio Albertini with two thirds of the vote in the third round of polls.

However, his campaign was overshadowed by an alleged racial slurĀ in which he criticised the number of "banana-eaters" to have been given a place with Italian clubs.

The FIGC launched a probe into Tavecchio's remarks, but on Monday announced that no action will be taken against the 71-year-old.

"The State Prosecutor, having examined the news cuttings, the presented evidence, video evidence and the documentation provided by the FIGC to FIFA and UEFA, has decided to dismiss the proceedings with the subject 'remarks made by the president of the Italian Amateur Football Association president during the assembly on July 25, 2014 and in other interviews with the media' since no details worthy of disciplinary measures have emerged against the new president of the FIGC Carlo Tavecchio, either objectively or subjectively," read a statement on the FIGC's website.

Tavecchio is still under investigation by UEFA for his remarks, and European football's governing body is expected to announce its findings imminently.

The new FIGC president faces a ban of up to three months should UEFA's control, ethics and disciplinary panel find his comments contravened association rules.

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