Serie A condemned on Wednesday “all instances of racism” in Italian soccer after Romelu Lukaku was abused throughout Inter Milan’s cup semifinal conflict at Juventus.
Lukaku scored a stoppage time penalty which secured Inter a 1-1 attract Tuesday’s first leg however was then despatched off after his celebrations in entrance of the Juve followers earned him a second reserving.
The Belgium striker held his finger to his mouth and advised supporters to “shut up”, however experiences of monkey chants had been solely confirmed late on Tuesday by his representatives Roc Nation after neither Inter nor Juve made any point out of them post-match.
“Serie A strongly condemns all instances of racism and any form of discrimination,” Italy’s prime division stated in an announcement.
“A few people in the stands can’t ruin football and don’t represent all the fans at the stadium. Serie A clubs will, as they always have, be able to find the individuals responsible and ban them for life from their grounds.”
On Tuesday evening Roc Nation Sports International president Michael Yormark demanded an apology from Juve for “hostile and disgusting racist abuse” Lukaku obtained from some house supporters “before, during and after the penalty”.
“The Italian authorities must use this opportunity to tackle racism, rather than punish the victim of the abuse,” Yormark added.
The incident was yet one more case of racism in Italian soccer stadiums and got here on the day Lazio was handed a suspended one-match stand closure for his or her supporters’ mass anti-Semitic chanting throughout final month’s Rome derby.
Lazio’s cross-town rival Roma was additionally fined 8,000 euros for his or her followers racially abusing Sampdoria coach Dejan Stankovic on Sunday.
Former Red Star Belgrade, Lazio and Inter Milan midfielder Stankovic was focused with chants calling him a “gypsy” by hardcore house supporters till Roma coach Jose Mourinho demanded they cease.
Source: sportstar.thehindu.com