Italian Olympic Volleyball champion, Paola Egonu, became a target of ‘vulgar racism’ a day after her mural was unveiled at the headquarters of the Italian Olympic Committee (Coni) in Rome.

The mural of Italy’s Egonu, who spearheaded her side to their maiden Paris 2024 Olympic gold medal, was targeted due to her skin of color in an image where she was seen hitting a volleyball while leaping in mid-air.  The volleyball had the words ‘stop racism’ engraved on it which was erased by the vandals while her face was vandalized and her skin colour re-painted into pink.

Incidentally, Egonu was born in Italy to Nigerian parents. Her mural, called Italianita, was painted by Laika in response to a passage in a bestselling book by the controversial army general and MEP, Roberto Vannacci, in which she referred to Egonu as an “Italian by citizenship … her physical features” did not “represent Italianness”.

The vandalizing of the mural was criticized by politicians from all around the world.

“I want to express solidarity with Paola Egonu and the most total disdain for this serious gesture of vulgar racism,” Antonio Tajani, Italy’s deputy prime minister, said.

“Racism is disgusting and must be countered,” Elly Schlein, the leader of the opposition Democratic party, said.

Roberto Gualtieri, the mayor of Rome, said: “a vile insult to a great Italian, who has brought the colours of our country to the top of the world, and to an artist committed to fighting against xenophobia”.