By Rédaction Africa Links 24 with Guardian Nigeria
Published on 2024-01-21 08:19:29
FIFA President, Gianni Infantino, has strongly condemned the recent racist incidents in Italy and England, calling for worldwide stadium bans for fans and “automatic forfeits” for teams involved in such behavior. The head of the world governing body emphasized that there is no place for discrimination of any kind in football or broader society.
The incidents occurred during a match between AC Milan and Udinese, where fans directed monkey chants at AC Milan and France goalkeeper Mike Maignan, and in a match between Coventry and Sheffield Wednesday in the English Championship, where Coventry midfielder Kasey Palmer accused Sheffield Wednesday fans of similar behavior.
Infantino urged all relevant stakeholders to take action, starting with education in schools to ensure that future generations understand that racism and discrimination have no place in football or society. He proposed that in addition to the three-step process currently in place for dealing with racism during matches, there should be automatic forfeits for teams whose fans commit acts of racism, worldwide stadium bans, and the imposition of criminal charges for the offenders.
The FIFA president reiterated the organization’s full solidarity with victims of racism and any form of discrimination. He stated, “Once and for all: No to racism! No to any form of discrimination!”
The incidents have prompted strong reactions from players and clubs as well. Maignan expressed his frustration and labeled the behavior as “ignorant,” emphasizing that such actions have no place in football. Sheffield Wednesday and Coventry issued statements condemning the racist behavior, with both clubs pledging to work with the relevant authorities and impose strict sanctions on those found to be responsible.
The incidents in Italy and England are not isolated, as previous instances of racial abuse in Italian stadiums have led to sanctions against the offending clubs. The problematic issue of racism in football continues to be a challenge, and Infantino’s call for stronger measures reflects the urgent need to address and combat such behavior.
Read the original article on The Guardian
