Lazio president Claudio Lotito has defended FIGC presidential candidate Carlo Tavecchio.
Tavecchio is embroiled in a race row after comments last week.
"We say that any old Opti Pobà can come here, before he was eating bananas, now he's playing in the Lazio first XI," said Tavecchio on Friday.
But Lotito insists his words have been taken out of context.
"You are creating confusion around the real issue," Lotito told Il Fatto Quotidiano newspaper.
"He was discussing the use of these lads and that they take away space from homegrown young players. We need to evaluate the ratio of his words.
"He comes from the Lega Dilettanti, which is contrary to discrimination. The LND is the basis of Italian football.
"His language was improper. He was speaking emphatically for an hour and a half, off the cuff. You are the ones who are exasperating the situation by blowing it up in the media.
"Tavecchio misspoke, but he should not be treated as a criminal. He used a colourful term. But he realised that and then apologised. Even the priest on the altar can make a mistake. People are creating a scandal because of political reasons."
