From the ABC.

Di Canio ‘fascist but not racist’

Lazio striker Paolo Di Canio is to appeal against a ban and a fine imposed against him following a recent straight-arm salute, claiming that while the gesture is fascist it is not of a racist character.

“I am a fascist, not a racist,” Di Canio told Italian news agency ANSA overnight.

“I give the straight arm salute because it is a salute from a ‘camerata’ to ‘camerati’,” he said using the Italian words for members of the late dictator Benito Mussolini’s fascist movement.

“The salute is aimed at my people. With the straight arm I don’t want to incite violence and certainly not racial hatred.”

Di Canio missed Lazio’s game at Lecce on Wednesday after he was banned for one match and fined 10,000 euros ($16,288) for making the fascist-style salute during a recent Serie A match.

The former Celtic and West Ham United player first produced the salute during a Rome derby last season.

His gesture has been widely condemned by politicians, players, fans and Jewish groups but he has won backing from some right-wing politicians.

Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, owner of AC Milan, this week said the salute “did not have any significance” and described the player as “an exhibitionist but a good lad”.

In his autobiography, Di Canio makes clear his admiration for Mussolini and he also wears a tattoo with the word ‘Dux’ - Latin for ‘Duce’ - the name Mussolini gave himself during his rule over the country.

Di Canio was a member of Lazio’s hardcore ‘ultras’ fan group before becoming a player - the Lazio ultras are known for their far-right sympathies and links.

On Tuesday, the sport’s governing body FIFA asked the Italian Football Federation to submit its file on the player who once won FIFA’s Fair Play Award.