Athletics, marathon runner Aouani responds to racist insults on social media

In Barcelona, ​​last Sunday, Iliass Aouani set the Italian marathon record, with a time of 2h07’16”. A record which, however, did not protect him from various unpleasant messages that have reached him on Instagram in recent days, relating to his origins. “What Italian record?”. “We stole it from the Moroccan federation?”. Words that refer to his origins, given that he was born in Fquih Ben Salah, Morocco. The marathon runner replied via social media.

the message

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“Italy is a beautiful country of people with big hearts. 26 years ago this land welcomed me and raised me as if I were its own child and gave me and my family opportunities for which we will always be grateful. I don’t like those who take advantage of the tree which, falling, makes more noise than the forest that grows to launch propaganda that represents Italy as a racist country. It is unfair to real Italians, who represent 99% of the population. Mine is not an angry reaction, but of simple pain, because these comments are an indication of a limited mindset and a mediocre life, people who have probably never made sacrifices in their life and who are consequently incapable of recognizing and respecting the sacrifices of others”. “My mission is to leave an impact through sport, to teach that diversity is a richness and without it we would not have celebrated the last Olympic gold medals, to teach that a person must be judged by the depth of his thought and behavior and not from where its name comes from or from the amount of melanin in the skin. `Be like a tree. When it is hit by stones, it responds by bearing its best fruit,´” concludes Aouani.