Italian officials and community members have decried the racist defacement of a mural depicting athlete Paola Egonu, who helped Italy clinch its first gold medal in women’s volleyball at the Paris Olympics on Sunday, August 11. Egonu was named the tournament’s Most Valuable Player on the final day of the games for spearheading her home country’s three-to-zero win over the United States.
In the hours after Italy’s historic victory, a mural by anonymous street artist Laika MCMLIV honoring the volleyball player appeared on a wall opposite the Rome headquarters of the Italian National Olympic Committee. Titled “Italianità,” the work is a wheat-pasted poster finished by hand with acrylic paint and spray. It portrays Egonu suspended in mid-air, wearing her blue Azzure uniform and gold medal while spiking a volleyball with the words “Stop racism, hatred, xenophobia” — a reference to racial abuse recently endured by the athlete, who was born in Italy to Nigerian parents.
Within a day, an unknown individual painted over the mural to render the Black athlete’s skin pink and cross out its anti-hate messaging with white spray paint.
“The defacement of my poster celebrating the victory of the Italian women’s volleyball team— a victory for an inclusive and multiethnic national team, a reflection of the Italy that represents me — did not happen by chance,” Laika told Hyperallergic, citing the rise of Italy’s far-right Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and the Brothers of Italy party, which have ruled Italy’s parliament since 2022. “In this country, a dark wave is sweeping over us. Homophobic, xenophobic, and racist acts are becoming routine.”
The racist defacement of Laika’s artwork immediately drew criticism from Italian public officials, including Rome Mayor Roberto Gualtieri who condemned the “intolerable” incident in a Facebook statement.
“It is sad to see that in 2024 there are still racists who are prisoners of their own ignorance who want to roll back the hands of history,” Gualtieri said.
In the days after the act, a passerby was filmed attempting to restore the work by drawing over the pink paint with black marker and rewriting the “Stop Racism” message on the volleyball along with a thank you note to Laika.
Hyperallergic has reached out to Egonu and the Italian National Olympic Committee for comment.
Egonu is one of several Black Italian athletes who have been targeted by racial mistreatment largely centered around their so-called “Italianness.” In 2022, Egonu took a temporary leave from the Italian national team after being bombarded with social media comments questioning her Italian identity. Last year, she sued right-wing Italian politician Roberto Vannacci for defamation after he called into question the “Italianness” of her features in his ultra-conservative book The World Upside Down.
“All my solidarity goes to Paola, who has always faced these ignorant people with her head held high,” Laika MCMLIV told Hyperallergic. “My thoughts go to all those Italians who are not recognized as such by the state, who are waiting for a fair and inclusive law, such as jus soli.”
