FIFA President Demands Stadium Ban for Fans Who Utter “Abhorrent” Insults

Mike Maignan (photo: ANSA)

(ANSA) – ROME, GEN 21 – The president of FIFA, Gianni Infantino, demanded that access to the stadium be prohibited for fans who utter “abhorrent” insults after the episodes of racism recorded in Udinese-Milan, for Serie A, and in Tottenham-Sheffield Wednesday for the Premier League.

“The events that occurred on Saturday in Udine and in September in Sheffield are totally repugnant and completely unacceptable. The players affected by the events on Saturday have my full support,” Infantino posted on social media.

The match that Milan won 3-2 the day before as a visitor to Udinese on matchday 21 of Serie A was suspended for 10 minutes after the French goalkeeper of the red and black team, Mike Maignan, and his teammates left the field of play after half an hour of play in the first half.

Maignan told referee Fabio Maresca that he heard ape sounds from Udinese fans after Englishman Ruben Loftus-Cheek opened the scoring the day before for Milan.

In turn, Wes Foderingham and his family were victims of “racism and threats” after Sheffield United’s 2-1 defeat against Tottenham in a duel on the fifth round of the Premier League played on September 16, 2023.

“There is no place for racism or other forms of discrimination, in football or in society. Saturday’s events in Udine and Sheffield are absolutely abominable and completely unacceptable,” emphasized Infantino.

“There is no place for racism or other forms of discrimination, neither in football nor in society. The players affected by what happened on Saturday have my full support,” insisted the FIFA president.

“It is necessary for all interested parties to act, starting with education in schools, so that future generations understand that this is not part of football or society,” Infantino concluded.

In this sense, Sandro Ruotolo, senator of the Democratic Party, the writer Maurizio de Giovanni and the former senator Gaetano Quagliariello signed a joint note to request the closure of the sector of the stadium where racist insults and chants are recorded.

“Defeat for the team and, we add, closure of the sector where the insults and racist chants originated. For years, insults and racist chants have been heard in our stadiums,” the note reads.

“FIFA, after what happened in Udine against Milan goalkeeper Maignan and in Sheffield, was clear: there is no place for racism or other forms of discrimination,” the text highlights.

“We think so too. The time has come for the Italian Federation and the Football League to align with FIFA.

We are tired of racist chants and insults,” say Ruotolo, De Giovanni and Quagliariello. (ANSA).

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2024-01-21 18:23:29
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