FIFA President Gianni Infantino has condemned recent racist incidents in Italy’s Serie A and England’s Championship, calling for stronger action to be taken against teams whose fans engage in such behavior. The incidents involved AC Milan goalkeeper Mike Maignan during a match at Udinese and Coventry midfielder Kasey Palmer in a game at Sheffield Wednesday.
During AC Milan’s 3-2 victory at Udinese, Maignan was subjected to repeated racist chants from home fans. Frustrated by the abuse, he briefly left the pitch in protest, alerting the referee before heading to the team’s dressing room. He was followed by his teammates before returning after a few minutes. Maignan has previously been a victim of racist chants in a match against Cagliari.
In a separate incident, Palmer revealed that he was also targeted with racist abuse in the final stages of Coventry’s 2-1 away win at Sheffield Wednesday. These incidents have sparked outrage within the football community and ignited a renewed call for action against racism in the sport.
Infantino released a statement expressing his strong disapproval of the racist incidents. He stated that such behavior is “totally abhorrent and completely unacceptable,” emphasizing that there is no place for racism or any form of discrimination, both within football and society as a whole. The FIFA President pledged his full support to the affected players.
Furthermore, Infantino proposed that teams whose fans engage in racist abuse should face automatic defeat, along with worldwide stadium bans and criminal charges for the perpetrators. He stressed the need for tougher sanctions in order to create a meaningful impact and deter further occurrences of racism in football.
Maignan, who was at the receiving end of racist chants in both the recent incident and a previous game, called for more stringent measures against those responsible. He argued that talking alone is no longer effective and that strong sanctions must be imposed to address the issue effectively. The French goalkeeper urged accountability from “the entire system,” referring to both the individuals responsible for the racist acts and the spectators who witnessed them but chose to remain silent.
Similarly, Palmer took to social media to express his disappointment and call for action against racism. The midfielder stated that racism is a disgrace and has no place in the world, especially not in football. He highlighted the importance of raising awareness and teaching the younger generation to stand against racism. However, Palmer admitted that it sometimes feels as though change is impossible despite the collective efforts to combat racism.
The recent racist incidents in Italian and English football have once again brought the issue of racism to the forefront. FIFA President Gianni Infantino’s call for stronger action against teams whose fans engage in racist behavior reflects the urgency to address this ongoing problem. The proposal for automatic defeat, worldwide stadium bans, and criminal charges sends a clear message that racism will not be tolerated in football. Players like Maignan and Palmer have demanded greater accountability and emphasized the need for a concerted effort to eradicate racism from the sport. As the football community unites against racism, it is vital to prioritize education, awareness, and the implementation of robust measures to ensure an inclusive and discrimination-free environment for all.