Roma racist chanting against AC Milan earns fine and Sepp Blatter rebuke
Mario Balotelli was targeted by the abuse
Your support helps us to tell the story
As your White House correspondent, I ask the tough questions and seek the answers that matter.
Your support enables me to be in the room, pressing for transparency and accountability. Without your contributions, we wouldn't have the resources to challenge those in power.
Your donation makes it possible for us to keep doing this important work, keeping you informed every step of the way to the November election
Andrew Feinberg
White House Correspondent
AS Roma have been fined £42,000 for racist behaviour by fans during Sunday’s Serie A match at Milan, which had to be interrupted by the referee early in the second half.
Serie A’s sporting tribunal said Roma supporters had “continually directed chants expressing racial discrimination to three of the players of the opposing team”. The match was stopped for two minutes and a warning was issued over the public address system at San Siro.
The tribunal did not say which players the abuse had been aimed at, but Milan’s coach, Massimiliano Allegri, said the former Manchester City striker Mario Balotelli was one of them.
Milan selected five black players in their starting line-up, though Sulley Muntari was sent off before half-time for physically restraining referee Gianlucca Rocchi from showing Balotelli a yellow card for a foul.
Roma issued a statement condemning the behaviour of the supporters, saying: “This type of behaviour on the part of any supporters, including our own, is totally unacceptable.
“We are committed to confront the matter with determination to eliminate the problem from sport and promote respect to everyone.”
But Roma’s general director, Franco Baldini, questioned whether the chants were racist, according to the Gazzetta dello Sport.
“The boos were directed at Balotelli because he’s a feared player,” he said. “It’s difficult to figure out where the border is between racial discrimination or simple boos.” Milan’s general manager, Adriano Galliani, said the referee had not helped the situation. “Muntari didn’t understand the booking for Balotelli and that’s where it all started. I don’t want to talk about referees.”
Fifa’s president, Sepp Blatter, said he was ashamed at the incident. “Appalled to read about racist abuse in Serie A last night,” Blatter tweeted yesterday. “Tackling this issue is complex, but we’re committed to action, not just words.”
Blatter added that the world governing body’s taskforce against racism and discrimination was “serious about devising a unified approach for Fifa’s 209 members”.
Subscribe to Independent Premium to bookmark this article
Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Start your Independent Premium subscription today.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments