Mario Balotelli - Balotelli Challenging Minds With His Feet - The Associated Press - Column

By JOHN LEICESTER, AP Sports Columnist

KIEV, Ukraine (AP) The ignoramus whom scrawled "non sei un vero italiano, sei un africano nero" "You are not a true Italian, you're a dark African" on the wall in the vicinity of your San Siro arena with Milan. Did he, despite himself, start out of his couch throughout excite as soon as Mario Balotelli thumped home his / her intention with regard to Italy which has a powerful nod involving his shaven ebony mind along with put their own region in to the last connected with Europe's top football tournament?

One hopes so.

And the particular hooligans throughout Rome which hurled a handful of bananas right bar when Balotelli along with fresh Italy competitors were being relaxing a number of summers back, compelling the owner to help call up the particular police. Did they, irrespective of themselves, yell having pleasure when Balotelli aplauded his second goal alongside Germany from the semifinal, tearing off his blue Italy jersey that will proudly show off his black body connected with muscle tissue along with sinews ridged including thick rope?

Again, one dreams so.

And this idiots right here at the Euros along with back Italy that have booed plus howled such as apes at Balotelli due to the fact he will be black. Did they, inspite of themselves, sense twinges associated with shame, as well as ended up these people went any time his or her adoptive mother cradled your girlfriend boy in a very long, tiny massiv after the activity of his life, her light hand lovingly stroking a corner associated with his guitar's neck in addition to his / her Mohican-style strip of dyed-blonde hair?

Please, yes, one particular really hopes so.

One of the wonderful virtues of sports activity has always been in which the idea translates into heroes which modify just how people consider or expose people who refuse to. With his or her exploits, his or her activism or even both, Muhammad Ali, Billie Jean King, amputee sprinter Oscar Pistorius, Aborigine Olympic champion Cathy Freeman as well as other sporting activities founders way too many to label have applied the actual noses connected with bigots, sexists, homophobes along with the otherwise small-minded from the filth that belongs to them ugliness, silencing some of them and enlightening others.

Balotelli, with their splendour about the field and his dignity as well as good laughter off it, is now doing that, too, by simply great for instance use of different from that European Championship who has focused interest around the racism which nevertheless blights the continent's favourite sport, and which often orgasms Sunday with all the last somewhere between Italy and Spain.

The function seriously isn't one Balotelli possesses lobbied for, wholeheartedly appreciated or even is usually of course matched for. For starters, he's young, just 21. Before this particular tournament, when she has satisfied along with his cool and earnestness, he generally designed information a lot more to get his / her immaturity compared to together with his play. Notable cases were being as soon as your dog tossed a dart while in the route of another gamer at Manchester City, his / her club in England, or maybe when two criticism pickups had been referred to as continue October that will his household southern region of Manchester to douse a blaze this individual claimed was attributable to friends placing down fireworks with their bathroom.