FIFA President Gianni Infantino has announced that fans will be banned from stadiums around the world after racist incidents in Italy and England on Saturday, and that there will be “automatic” bans on teams whose supporters have hurled “abhorrent” abuse at them. He called for his disqualification from participating.
The head of the world governing body said there was no place for discrimination of any kind in football or wider society.
“The events that took place in Udine and Sheffield on Saturday are completely abhorrent and completely unacceptable,” he said in a statement.
“I have my full support for the players affected by Saturday’s events.”
During Milan’s dramatic 3-2 win over Udinese, fans chanted monkey chants at AC Milan and France goalkeeper Mike Maignan, leading to the game being briefly suspended.
Coventry midfielder Casey Palmer accused Sheffield Wednesday fans of doing the same to him during his team’s 2-1 win in the English Championship.
“Everyone involved needs to take action, starting with school education, so that future generations understand that this is not part of football or society,” Infantino said.
“In addition to the three-step process (game cancellation, game re-cancellation, game cancellation), automatic disqualification of teams whose fans engage in racist behavior that causes the game to be canceled, and a worldwide stadium ban. Measures must also be introduced” and criminal prosecution of racists.
“FIFA and football stand in full solidarity with the victims of racism and all forms of discrimination. Emphatic no to racism! No to discrimination in any form!”
At Udinese, referee Fabio Maresca stopped play midway through the first half and an enraged Maignan ran into the tunnel with his teammates.
“These are ignorant people… It’s normal to be booed and whistled at when you’re away from home, but what happened today has no place in football,” Maignan told Sky Sports. Told.
Play resumed approximately five minutes later.
Italy, ruled by a coalition government led by the far-right Brotherhood of Italy, is full of fascist soccer fan groups, especially among the hardcore “ultras” who liven up the atmosphere in stadiums.
Last week, during Lazio’s win over local rivals Roma in the Italian Cup, the stands were shut down for one game after supporters directed monkey chants at Romelu Lukaku.
In Sheffield, manager Palmer condemned the assault as “abhorrent and completely unacceptable”, and the game was suspended after the referee spoke to both managers on the touchline.
Sheffield Wednesday said in a statement: “We are shocked and saddened by the racist behavior reported by Sky Blues player Casey Palmer from the stands.”
“Both clubs strongly condemn all forms of discrimination and abuse and stress that there is no place for this type of behavior in football or in our wider society.”
“We will co-operate with the relevant authorities and anyone found guilty will be subject to the harshest sanctions possible, both at Sheffield Wednesday and the law.”
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