MILAN, (Reuters) – Juventus will have to play a home game behind closed doors after fans racially abused Inter Milan striker Mario Balotelli in Saturday’s 1-1 Serie A draw, the Italian league said yesterday.
The 18-year-old scored Inter’s opener in the top-of-the-table clash and was subjected to chants of “a black Italian does not exist” from sections of the Juve crowd in Turin.
Balotelli, an Italy under-21 international, was born in Palermo but is of Ghanaian descent.
“The sporting judge…considered that in the course of the game and on multiple occasions, fans of the home team, in various sections of the stadium, sang songs which included racial discrimination,” a league statement said.
“Juventus are therefore obliged to play one game behind closed doors.”
Racist abuse is not uncommon in Italian soccer and small fines are usually handed out. However, the seriousness of Saturday’s incidents have prompted the authorities to come down heavily on Juve.
The league normally decides on disciplinary action on the Tuesday following weekend games but brought the announcement forward this time.
The statement, in conjunction with the Italian soccer federation, added that the abuse was deplorable and could not be excused as sporting passion.
