A 20-year-old Italian footballer who played for the youth academies of AC Milan and Benevento has died by suicide after suffering persistent racist abuse.
Seid Visin died at his home in Nocera Inferiore, Italian media reported.
In a heartbreaking letter written by Visin, the young player said the abuse he suffered had destroyed him.
“Everywhere I go, I feel the weight of people’s sceptical, disgusted and scared looks on me. I’m not an immigrant (...) remember everyone loved me,” Visin wrote.
“I had managed to find a job that I had to leave because too many people, especially older people, refused to be served by me, as if I wasn’t already uncomfortable.
“They blamed me because many young Italian (white) people couldn’t find jobs. Something has changed inside me, like I’m ashamed of being black.”
Visin, who was of Ethiopian origins, moved to Italy when he was seven years old.
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