Di Canio defiant amid fascist claims

New Sunderland manager Paolo Di Canio has defended himself amid the controversy over his appointment — but may have to do more to convince anti-racism campaigners of his suitability.

The Italian’s appointment to succeed Martin O’Neill prompted former British foreign secretary David Miliband to stand down as Sunderland’s vice-chairman and non-executive director, citing “the new manager’s past political statements”. Miliband’s comments related to Di Canio’s declaration to Italian news agency ANSA in 2005 that “I am a fascist, not a racist”.

But in a statement released yesterday by the club, Di Canio said: “I don’t have a problem with anyone. 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.”

He went on to claim his past comments were manipulated, but Piara Power, executive director of Football Against Racism in Europe (FARE), said yesterday: “(His statement is) unclear, it didn’t really address it.”

Di Canio insisted the “fascist” claim was taken out of context. He added: “If it’s true the vice-chairman left for this reason, I’m very sorry but more than this, I don’t know what to say — I don’t want to talk about politics.

“The people around me can suffer for this, my daughters for example, and I can’t accept it because it’s obvious that I’m not the sort of person that sometimes people try to indicate.”

Sunderland’s chief executive Margaret Byrne said: “To accuse him now, as some have done, of being a racist or having fascist sympathies, is insulting not only to him but to the integrity of this football club.”

* Neil Warnock last night resigned as manager of Leeds United.

The 64-year-old said in the wake of the 2-1 loss to Derby yesterday — a sixth game without a win — that he would not be in charge at Charlton on Saturday, and the club later confirmed his departure in a statement. Academy coach Neil Redfearn has been placed in charge while the club’s owners, GFH Capital, search for a replacement.