Youth players targeted with racist insults similar to high-profile Serie A stars, study finds

Racism blights youth football in Italy as much as it does the top leagues, with about 80 cases recorded over the last two seasons, campaigners have said.

The issue has resurfaced after a string of incidents in Serie A in recent weeks, but scant attention has been given to what occurs in the lower rungs. Children as young as 12 are suffering racist abuse from adversaries and spectators, according to an independent organisation that collates data on racism incidents.