AP
Di Canio in 2005 after a Lazio game
Di Canio played all over Europe in the 90s and early-00s, and earned a reputation for his pro-Benito Mussolini statements and his on-field fascist arm gestures.
In 2005 he was disciplined by FIFA for repeatedly making the "roman salute" (pictured) — extending his right arm to the crowd — while playing for the notoriously right-wing Italian club Lazio. A lifetime ban was even suggested, according to the Telegraph.
After the controversy, di Canio told the Italian paper ANSA, "I am a fascist, not a racist."
He added (via the Telegraph):
"The salute is aimed at my people. With the straight arm I don't want to incite violence and certainly not racial hatred."
According to the Telegraph, di Canio has a tattoo of Mussolini's nickname on his arm. In his autobiography, he described the fascist leader as "deeply misunderstood."
Sunderland vice-chairman David Miliband immediately resigned after the hire was announced, and now there are calls for di Canio to clarify his beliefs.
Di Canio has experience in England. He played for Sheffield and West Ham, and coached lower-league Swindon Town from 2011-13. But now that he's on one of the biggest stages in world
UPDATE: Di Canio has released the following statement (via Rob Harris of the AP):
“Something can happen many years ago but what counts is the facts. My life speaks for me. Of course it hurts me because people try to take your dignity and that is not fair.
“I believe in my pillars and I have values. What offends me more than anything is not because they touch me; they touch what my parents gave to me; the values they gave to me. This is not acceptable.
“What I can say is that if someone is hurt, I am sorry. But this didn’t come from me, it came from a big story that people put out in a different way to what it was.
“I never have a problem in my past. I expressed an opinion in an interview many years ago. Some pieces were taken for media convenience. They took my expression in a very, very negative way – but it was a long conversation and a long interview. It was not fair. I know it is a part of my job to do interviews because I am well-known, but sometimes it suits their purpose to put big headlines and a big story.
“I don’t have a problem with anyone. I haven’t had a problem in the past and I don’t know why I have to keep repeating my story, to be defending myself on something that doesn’t belong to me every time I change clubs. Talk about racism? That is absolutely stupid, stupid and ridiculous. The people who know me can change that idea quickly. When I was in England my best friends were Trevor Sinclair and Chris Powell, the Charlton manager – they can tell you everything about my character.
“I don’t want to talk about politics because it’s not my area. We are not in the Houses of Parliament, we are in a football club. I want to talk about sport. I want to talk about football, my players, the Board and the fans. My first priority is my family and my daughters, that’s obvious, and secondly to have the responsibility for thousands of people. This is my priority and I want to be focused on this aspect. I don’t want to talk any more about politics – I am not a politics person.”