Paolo Bruno/Getty Images

Italian Football Federation (FIGC) president Gabriele Gravina has called for a system similar to that used by the video assistant referee to be implemented in order to help identify racist football supporters.

The issue of racism in football has spiked over the past year or so and with a particular focus in Serie A. There have been several instances this season of racist abuse occurring at matches involving Italian teams, and Gravina told reporters of plans already in motion to combat the problem:



"Clubs today are capable of identifying those responsible by using technology. We are experimenting with the system and will talk about that soon.

"We have collaborated with the Ministry of the Interior and set some very strict laws with equally severe sanctions.

"So we will use technology, but we can only do it with the help of the police and of the Ministry of Interior."

It makes sense that technology be used to keep order off the pitch, considering the many advancements made to enhance the quality of the game on it.

FIFA President Gianni Infantino spoke at The Best award ceremony in September and praised stars who have helped fight against racism, per journalist Oluwashina Okeleji:

Gravina added:

"It astonishes me that some chanting can be heard clearly and some cannot, so we need to work out why that is, but it's not normal.

"I'm not interested in how loud or how much chanting there is but in the principle behind it. I'm not interested if it can be clearly heard or not. If it is just one, two or 10 people doing it, we need to intervene."

Probably the most infamous instance of racist abuse this season was directed at Inter Milan striker Romelu Lukaku when the team travelled to Cagliari in September.

Lukaku was subject to monkey noises directed at him before, during and after his match-winning penalty and Inter ultras claimed in a letter to the strikers the chants were not racist, via the Guardian:

Sportswriter Andrew Cesare appeared on Love Sports Radio shortly after the incident and detailed the lack of understanding on behalf of many Italians:

One could hope an increased threat of arrest or other legal ramifications might curtail the issue in Italy, though the main problem appears to be education and common understanding on a societal level.

Lazio president Claudio Lotito recently reminded of the ignorance that still resides with some when it comes to racism, per Sport Witness:

Improved surveillance during matches can only be considered a positive in the pursuit of rooting racism out of football, and Gravina's comments suggest it may be a matter of time until such a system is implemented.