UEFA on Friday said that the correct anti-racism protocol had not been followed during the Serie A game between Inter Milan and SSC Napoli midweek amid repeated abuse of Senegalese defender Kalidou Koulibaly.
Napoli’s French-born Koulibaly was targeted by monkey noises and racist chants at the San Siro, before being sent off for sarcastically applauding referee Paolo Mazzoleni.
Three announcements were made over the loudspeaker imploring fans to stop the chants, but they continued.
According to UEFA protocol, the match should have been suspended then, but instead it was allowed to continue.
In a joint statement, UEFA and players’ union FIFPro said they were “very concerned by this unacceptable racist incident and by what appears on the surface to be a failure to respect the widely recognized three-step anti-racism protocol.”
“Koulibaly was subject to racist chanting and, despite announcements made by the stadium speaker, the chants did not stop. Moreover, it seems that Napoli’s coaching staff had already informed the referee several times of racist chants,” the statement said. “Both organizations are of the opinion that the racist chants toward Koulibaly, who had to leave the pitch after receiving a second yellow card, are unacceptable and have no place in football.”
“FIFPro and UEFA support the Italian football authorities on any additional measure that will be taken to tackle racism in stadiums for which FIFPro and UEFA have a zero-tolerance policy,” it added.
Both organizations welcomed that Inter Milan would have to play two Serie A home matches behind closed doors and another game with their North Stand closed.
Napoli coach Carlo Ancelotti said after the game that his players would walk off the pitch next time.
However, Italian Football Federation chief Gabriele Gravina said that referee Mazzoleni officiated correctly.
“Mazzoleni applied the rules perfectly,” Gravina told Sky Sports Italia after the game. “If players left the field then it would break the rules, followed by a negative result for their team. Let’s not forget that there are rules, which need to be improved. If not then it would be like the Wild West.”
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