Oliver Dacourt's documentary denounces racism in the stadium
In July 2023, former Roma and Inter midfielder Oliver Dacourt presented to the public the documentary titled "I Am Not a Monkey", an audiovisual project that reconstructs the discrimination experiences endured by various footballers.
A personal and collective story
The film gathers testimonies ranging from Samuel Eto'o to Blaise Matuidi, showing how racism manifests both inside and outside the stands, with the aim of turning the stadium into a place of integration.
Dacourt, son of a black mother and a white father, has lived the issue on his own skin and said: "I have suffered discrimination from both sides. Football is just a reflection of society and these things have been happening for years".
In his remarks, he emphasized that football should emerge as a universal value, where "there is no difference of religion, there is no skin colour" and the ball becomes the common language.
Referring to France's 1998 victory, Dacourt recalled the celebrations on the Champs‑Élysées, stating that "when you win there is no colour, there are no differences".
The documentary also denounces spectators' behaviour, describing the stadium as "an arena" where people believe they can say anything without shame, and proposes a five‑year sanction for those who behave badly.
Almost 1 200 days after its premiere, Dacourt turns 52, but, in his words, things have not changed much.