Lazio to wear Anne Frank on shirt and send fans to visit Auschwitz in bid to tackle anti-semitism
The move comes after some of the club's supporters left pictures of Frank wearing a Roma shirt around the Stadio Olimpico
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LAZIO's players will wear an image of Anne Frank on their shirts against Bologna in a bid to tackle anti-semitism.
The move comes after supporters left stickers showing Frank in a Roma shirt around the Stadio Olimpico after they faced Roma on Sunday.
President Claudio Lotito is keen to show the club is committed to fighting racism and anti-Semitism during Wednesday's clash.
Lazio will also organise an annual trip to the site of the Auschwitz concentration camp to educate fans about the Holocaust.
Lotito said: “Today, I can officially announce that Lazio will partake in a new initiative, organising an annual trip to Auschwitz for 200 Lazio fans to educate and make sure we don't forget certain episodes, so that these lads can know what it is we're talking about.
“You can't play around with these facts, we condemn all forms of racism. Lazio will launch this initiative.”
A section of Frank's diary will also be read aloud before all Italian league matches this week in a move announced by the Italian Football Federation.
They will take place before midweek Serie A, Serie B and Serie C matches, as well as amateur and youth matches at the weekend.
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The selected passage reads: “I see the world being slowly transformed into a wilderness, I hear the approaching thunder that, one day, will destroy us too, I feel the suffering of millions.
"And yet, when I look up at the sky, I somehow feel that everything will change for the better, that this cruelty too shall end, that peace and tranquillity will return once more.”
Asked about the stickers, retiring Italy legend Gianluigi Buffon said: “The recipe is to do what is being done right now in the media, even now in stigmatising, then put in place initiatives to increase the sensibilities, as well as in the case of the Italian people.
“I think beyond that it’s a question of a cultural and consciousness problem.
“It’s undeniable that when you can touch it with your hands, touch the truth of history and what happened to humanity, you can’t remain indifferent to certain tragedies and certain scars.
“I think these utterances and xenophobic manifestations are the result of little knowledge of what history has taught us.”
A statement said: “The FIGC, in agreement with the Minister for Sport and the Union of Italian Jewish Communities (UCEI) has decided to take a minute's reflection on all football pitches to condemn recent episodes of anti-Semitism and to continue to cultivate memories of the Holocaust, and the commitment of civil society, especially young people, so that every sporting environment is a place that transmits strong values.”