Italian football teams add their voices to worldwide protests against racism.

Football teams in Italy, including AS Roma and Torino, have posted pictures of their players kneeling in a symbol of support following the death in police custody of African-American George Floyd in Minneapolis.

Italian football clubs including Juventus, Inter Milan, Atalanta and Milan, also supported Blackout Tuesday, together with a host of top Italian musicians, on 2 June.

#BlackoutTuesday was organised in response to the death of Floyd, killed on 25 May by white Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin who pressed his knee into Floyd's neck for almost nine minutes, while other police officers watched. 

      Read also:

• George Floyd: Italy marks Blackout Tuesday
• George Floyd death puts global spotlight on racism and police brutality

Numerous Italian footballers have taken to social media in support of the #BlackLivesMatter movement, following in the footsteps of British clubs Liverpool and Chelsea.

#ASRoma coach Paulo Fonseca and his players today took a knee before training in a show of support for #BlackLivesMatter pic.twitter.com/BSfOVlkKAx— AS Roma English (@ASRomaEN) June 2, 2020

FIFA, the international governing body of football, has made an exception to its rule which prohibits political, social or commercial symbols during matches, stating that it "understands the deep feelings" triggered by the killing of Floyd.

The football authority has urged national associations to adopt a "common-sense" approach when dealing with on-pitch demonstrations amid the continuing civil unrest across the US.