Italy PM Draghi offers support to volleyball player Egonu over nationality issue

[p]On Saturday a video of Egonu went viral in which she burst into tears after [a href="https://www.flashscore.com/match/r3pTBeu5/#/match-summary/match-summary"]her team took bronze[/a] in the [a href="https://www.flashscore.com/volleyball/world/world-championship-women/"]world championships[/a], telling her agent on the sidelines this was her last match with the national team as she was tired of being questioned about whether she was Italian.[/p][p]She later clarified she was only taking a break to think matters through after [b]"all the insults and messages I received".[/b][/p][p]Egonu was born in [a href="https://www.flashscore.com/team/italy/WOxNzHzR"]Italy[/a] but as a daughter of non-Italian parents she received her citizenship only at the age of 14 when her father obtained an Italian passport, Italian media said.[/p][p][b]"We athletes give everything in every game and it hurts to hear that I don't deserve to wear this jersey," [/b]Egonu told RAI television on Saturday.[/p][p]Egonu's words sparked an outpouring of support from across Italy, with Draghi telling the athlete in a phone call she was [b]"a pride to Italian sport and will have future opportunities to win other trophies wearing the national team jersey".[/b][/p][p]The case also touched on a sensitive issue in Italy, where the incoming right-wing coalition that won the September 25th general election has been dismissing calls from the left to ease restrictive citizenship laws.[/p]