UEFA has opened disciplinary investigations against Italian football federation (FIGC) president Carlo Tavecchio over alleged racist comments made by him during his election campaign.

The 71-year-old last week beat former AC Milan player Demetrio Albertini after three rounds of voting in Rome, despite having drawn heavy criticism last month for making an allegedly racist comment about ‘’eating bananas’’ during an address to a summer assembly of Italy’s amateur leagues.

A Uefa statement yesterday read: “Following a request of information made by Uefa on 28 July 2014, Mr Carlo Tavecchio, president of the Italian Football Federation (FIGC), has today been personally informed by Uefa about the decision of its chief ethics and disciplinary inspector to open a disciplinary investigation on alleged racist comments made by him during his FIGC presidential election campaign.

“Once the report has been completed, the Uefa chief ethics and disciplinary inspector will submit its conclusions to the control, ethics and disciplinary body to render a decision about this matter.”

Tavecchio accepted the news there will be an investigation and is keen to give his version of events to Uefa.

He said: “I am calm and I respect Uefa’s decision.”