Juventus have received a one-match partial stadium closure after its fans racially abused Inter Milan striker Romelu Lukaku.
Romelu Lukaku, Belgium International, was subjected to racist abuses before he was sent off in Inter’s 1-1 Coppa Italia draw with Juventus on Tuesday.
The Italian Major League has penalized Juventus, stating that the lower side of Allianz Stadium’s South Stand will be closed as Juve faces Napoli on 23 April because “the majority of fans” sat in that stands before and after Lukaku’s last-minute penalty.
“The supporters of Juventus occupying the first tier of the sector known as the ‘Tribuna Sud’, during the 35th and 49th minutes of the second half shouted vulgar and insulting choruses and shouts of racial discrimination against the player of Internazionale Romelu Lukaku,” the statement confirmed.
Reports from Italian News Outlet ANSA confirm that Juventus have banned two supporters from their stadium after video footage of the incident went viral.
After he equalized late in the match, the former Manchester United and Chelsea attacker was given a second yellow card for celebrating with his finger on his lips in front of the home fans.
The Belgian will also serve a one-match ban for the red card. Fellow teammate Samir Handanovic and Juan Cuadrado of Juventus have also been handed bans after a fight broke out between after the final whistle.
The goalscorer for Juventus in the encounter Cuadrado has received a three-match ban after grabbing Handanovic by the neck and punching him, while the keeper is banned for one match for involving in the fight.
Lukaku’s representative’s sports agency Roc Nation on Thursday said that sports should “hold bigots accountable”, and also added that “hatred equals racism equals ignorance”.
There was also a full-page advert in the Italian newspaper Gazzetta dello Sport, which reads: “Dear Italy, do better, want better, be better.”
The former Everton striker also took to his Instagram account after the game in Turin condemning the acting saying “history repeats itself”, and also adding that he faced such in the league in 2019.
Roc Nation also added: “In professional football, Black players have been subjected to hatred during professional football games.”
“The hatred has displayed itself in the form of monkey chants, racial slurs and banana peels tossed at the best players in the world, as the world watches, as the children watch, as the players’ families watch.”
“No one has faced any consequences for this heinous behaviour. Nothing has changed. No action has been taken.”
“In fact, the only person that could be held accountable is a player, if they react to this disgusting behaviour during the game. Enough is enough.”
“We call on the worldwide community of sports – players, team owners, artists, brands, and all fans – to denounce the racist behaviour and hold bigots accountable to a human standard. One which upholds decency, respect and compassion for others.”
Also, to show support for Lukaku and to show that the league does not tolerate any form of racism, Italy’s football federation, the FIGC, will mark its anti-discrimination campaign #UnitiDagliStessiColori (#Unitedbythesamecolours) for all games this weekend.
Inter Milan is set to play away at Salernitana in Serie A on Friday at 16:00 BST.
