171 Juventus fans banned from stadiums for racist slurs against Lukaku

Italian authorities this Monday banned 171 Juventus fans from access to sports facilities due to racist chants against Belgian footballer Romelu Lukaku of Inter Milan in the Coppa Italia.

The chants took place in the game on 4 April, as Lukaku prepared to score a penalty that ended in a 1-1 draw, and also during its subsequent celebration, which caused confusion among the players on the benches, resulting in several relegations, including the Belgian himself .

Punished fans have been identified through video and audio recordings that could help track down about 80 other offenders.

The authorities did not specify the period for which people who have also been fined are prohibited from visiting sports facilities.

The investigation by the Office of Special Operations also revealed insulting chants by Inter cheerleaders towards Juventus fans, namely when they sang “Liverpool, Liverpool”.

These chants referred to the tragedy in Heysel Park during the 1985 European Cup final, when an avalanche of people led to the death of 39 people, 32 of whom were supporters of the “perpetual signora”.

Meanwhile, in an “exceptional and extraordinary way” the Italian federation has decriminalized Romelu Lukaku’s second yellow card in the cup match, so he will be able to play in Wednesday’s second “match” despite the Court of Appeal rejecting Inter’s appeal in the first instance.

“The principle of combating all forms of racism is a fundamental element of the sports order,” the organism substantiated.

The pardon came in a particularly turbulent week during the discussion of the incidents at this gathering, since the Court that rejected Lukaku’s appeal was the same one that accepted the appeal submitted by Juventus regarding the sanction received to close the sector that is the author of racist insults. discussed.