Italian Udinese showed solidarity with Milan goalkeeper Frenchman Mike Maignan over “the regrettable incident on Saturday” in his stadium and FIFA president Gianni Infantino asked to expel clubs whose fans commit racist acts Close.
“In addition to the three-phase process (match suspended, match resumed, match suspended), we must impose the automatic expulsion of the team whose fans committed racist acts and caused the suspension of the match, as well as a ban on entry into stadiums around the world and criminal prosecution of racists,” Infantino said.
The FIFA president described the events as “totally abhorrent and completely unacceptable”; expressed its support for the affected players and reiterated that “there is no place for racism or any form of discrimination, neither in football nor in society.”
Infantino insisted that it is necessary for all interested parties to take action and start education so that future generations understand that this is not part of football or society.
Udinese “deeply regretted” the events and condemned any act of racism and violence, while reaffirming its abhorrence of any form of discrimination and its solidarity with Mike Maignan, who left the field with his teammates when subjected to racist insults, causing the match to be interrupted for four minutes.
“Udinese will cooperate with all investigating authorities to ensure an immediate clarification of the incident, to take the necessary measures to punish those responsible. As an institution, we will continue to work diligently, as we have always done, to promote diversity and inclusion of all ethnicities, cultures and languages among our players, staff, fans and city,” he said in a statement.
Milan was the first to support its goalkeeper with a message on social networks with a message on his ‘X’ account: “In our football there is absolutely no place for racism: we are appalled. We are with you, Mike”.
A message of support and condemnation that was joined by their biggest rival, Inter: “We are brothers of the world, against all forms of discrimination. By your side, Mike.”
Numerous Italian footballers wrote privately to Maignan, as the goalkeeper himself responded on social networks. Other teammates, such as Portuguese Rafael Leao, did it publicly.
“We are in this together, brother. Say no to racism, football doesn’t need this,” he said on his Instagram account.
The major institutions of Italian football also spoke out, although in a statement this Sunday the goalkeeper called any authority that did nothing about it except an official statement an accomplice, as has only happened so far.
“THE SERIES A LEAGUE CONDEMNS ALL FORM OF RACISM,” said Serie A on its ‘X’ account; while Gabriele Gravina, president of the Italian Football Federation (FIGC), said that “in football there is no place for racism, we stand in solidarity with Maignan and strongly condemn what happened in Udine.”
French football has also strongly supported the international goalkeeper. “You have our full support,” the French Football Federation said in the French team’s X report, condemning “with the utmost force any act of racism.”
“You are far from alone, Mike Maignan. We are all with you,” French football superstar Kylian Mbappé said in the same medium.
“Always the same problems and always NO solution. It is too much! NO TO RACISM,” Mbappé emphasized.
Another French star, Antoine Griezmann, spoke in the same sentence. “We are together, Mike! NO TO RACISM!!!,” wrote the Atlético de Madrid player.
Another France international, Marcus Thuram, who plays for Milan’s local rival Inter, posted a clenched fist in protest and a heart on Instagram above a photo of his insulted teammate.
Source: El heraldo
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