Ahistory of questionable incidents has often haunted Paolo Di Canio, who has sought to distance himself from fascist controversies. Recently sacked by Sky Italia after he was shown to have a tattoo reading 'Dux', a term associated with Benito Mussolini, the ex-striker was also suspended in 2005 for an alleged fascist salute while playing for Lazio. "I want to find a way to define once and for all this situation," he wrote in a letter to the Italian Jewish Communities Union (UCEI). "I must first of all to my family, particularly to my daughters who cannot see their father and all that I have taught them, in this figure that is still portrayed as violent, racist and anti-Semitic. I never have been like this. "I feel then having to go back to a topic that I thought I had made clear in the past: I did not want nothing to do with anti-Semitic ideas, racist, discriminatory, violent. "I think, no ifs, or buts, that the racial laws desired by Mussolini were a terrible shame for the history of our country. An outrage which caused a great tragedy for thousands of Jews in Italy. This is my position convinced and determined."Lazio and West Ham striker Paolo Di Canio after he presented a show wearing a T-shirt that showed he had a tattoo celebrating former Fascist leader Benito Mussolini.
Di Canio had his own weekly programme on Sky Italia, a unit of Sky Plc, to discuss the English premier league, but sparked controversy on Sunday when he appeared with bare arms, with the word "Dux" inked large on his right forearm. "Dux" refers to Italy's World War Two leader, Mussolini, who was known in Italy as Il Duce and was allied with Nazi leader Adolf Hitler. "We committed an error and apologise to all those who were offended. After a long conversation (with Di Canio) we have decided to suspend (contacts)," said Jacques Raynaud, the vice president of Sky Italia's sport channels. There was no immediate comment from Di Canio. As a Lazio player in 2005, Di Canio celebrated a goal against rivals AS Roma with a straight-arm fascist-style salute to his club's fans. He later sought to distance himself from the extreme right when he faced criticism in 2013 after being appointed manager of Premier league club Sunderland. "I am not political, I do not affiliate myself to any organisation, I am not a racist and I do not support the ideology of fascism. I respect everyone," he said at the time.
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