Soccer
Balotelli at centre of race row
2013-02-06 11:17
Rome - AC Milan vice-president Paolo Berlusconi, the brother of Italy's former prime minister Silvio, called new sign-up Mario Balotelli "our family's little black face" in a video viewed on Wednesday.
"We are all off to see our family's little black face," Paolo Berlusconi is seen saying in the video just before Balotelli's debut with AC Milan against Udinese in which he scored two goals.
"He's a wild one. All the young ladies are invited as well - you can even have a chance to meet the president," he said, referring to his party-loving billionaire brother who owns AC Milan.
VIDEO: Berlusconi racially abuses Balotelli
The video was posted on the website of La Repubblica daily.
The club has taken a stand against racism after the team stormed off the pitch in a friendly last month because of racist chants from a group of fans aimed at Ghanaian striker Kevin-Prince Boateng.
Balotelli was born of Ghanaian parents in Italy, then put in foster care and adopted by an Italian couple. He became an Italian citizen when he turned 18.
The Croatian football federation was fined last year after hundreds of Croatia funds hurled racial abuse at Balotelli during the European championship.