Italian football fans give Nazi salute and boo Israel national anthem at World Cup qualifier

Supporters heard shouting anti-semitic slurs during game

Italian fans were heard booing the Israeli national anthem as the two teams listened (Getty Images)

Italian football fans have been photographed giving the Nazi salute and spitting at Jewish fans during their team’s match against Israel, the country’s football association has said.

Police officers attending the World Cup qualifier between the two sides at the Sammy Ofer stadium in Haifa removed two Italian fans from the away end of the ground, after they were spotted aiming the offensive gesture at Israeli players.

A large group of fans were recorded booing during the Israeli national anthem, before shouting anti-semitic slurs at Jewish fans as play got underway and spitting in their direction.

Neither of the men removed from the stadium were arrested by police, nor was anyone else in the ground apprehended for offensive behaviour as Italy won the match comfortably 3-1.

The Israeli Football Association lodged an official complaint to the Italian FA, describing the taunting of Jewish fans as “sickening” and calling on the authorities to take relevant action.

"The Israeli Football Association will send the photos to the Italian federation with which we have a warm and brave relationship so that it can find and prosecute the sickening minority that wanted to tarnish the visiting fans, their team and their country," a statement from the IFA read.

The president of the Italian FA Carlo Tavecchio responded to the allegations by condemning the fans’ behaviour, adding that the organisation intended to carry out a full investigation into the actions including identifying the men responsible according to Jerusalem Post.

There has been a steady rise in racist and anti-semitic behaviour at football matches over the past decade, with more than 650 incidents recorded between 2000 and 2015 according to the Observatory on Anti-Semitism.

A recent survey by the Institute for Jewish Policy Research revealed 68 per cent of Italian Jewish people say they have witnessed or experienced anti-semitism over the past several years.

Meanwhile several popular football teams, most notably the Rome-based club Lazio, are said to have groups of fans which openly hold fascist and neo-Nazi views.

After a match in March, Jewish football commentator David Guetta reported that a group of Italian supporters chanted “Guetta, a train to Mauthausen is waiting for you” at him, referring to the Nazi concentration camp in Austria.