Why the Italian FA have banned players from wearing the number 88 shirt | OneFootball

The Italian FA have banned all players from wearing the shirt number 88 in an attempt to fight anti-Semitism in football.

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Gabriele Gravina, the Italian Football Association president, along with members of Italy's government signed an agreement on Tuesday.

The agreement denies players the chance to wear the number 88 as it can be used as reference to a German Nazi salute.

Any expressions of anti-Semitic behaviour, including chants, can result in a stoppage of any game in accordance with the agreement.

Which players currently wear the number 88?

There are currently two Serie A players that will now need to look for a new number as the rule is enforced.

Atalanta's Mario Pasalic and Toma Basic of Lazio are the players in question.

Each player will now be assigned a new shirt number for the upcoming season.

Statements made about the agreement

Gravina made a statement saying: "Thanks to its deepest values ​​and its exceptional communicative power, football offers itself as an instrument of civic conscience to educate in acceptance and respect. On these issues, we do not back down an inch, because the credibility of football, which is also hurt and damaged by discriminatory behaviour, has a direct impact on Italian society."

The move to make a change is timely with incidents occurring in the past season.

Three fans are said to have been banned for life by Lazio following anti-Semitic incidents, including one of the supporters wearing an 88 shirt during a win over Roma.

Italy's Interior Minister, Matteo Piantedosi, said, per BBC Sport: "It is an adequate and effective response to an intolerable prejudice that still too often manifests itself in our stadiums."

Piantedosi added: "Anti-Semitism must be strongly fought, together with everything that excludes, despises and discriminates against every human being, every social group, every minority."

"The declaration of intent signed is only the first step of a broader strategy that will result in a new document on preventing and combating all forms of racism and discrimination in sport," he added.