FIFA president calls for severe punishments for clubs whose fans commit racist abuse

By SABC Sport
21st January 2024

Gianni Infantino wants any club whose fans are caught committing racist acts anywhere near a football pitch, to players, staff or officials to immediately forfeit the game they are playing amid other sanctions.

The FIFA president's call for harsh measures comes in the wake of a weekend in which two racist incidents happened on the same day in different countries.

AC Milan™s players walked off the pitch after France international goalkeeper Mike Maignan reported hearing monkey noises coming from a section of the crowd at the Stadio Friuli.

Coventry™s Kasey Palmer said he received similar abuse at Hillsborough and their 2-1 win was stopped for several minutes while the match officials spoke to both managers.

Milan™s players eventually returned to secure a 3-2 victory in added time but Infantino said there should be harsher punishments.

œAs well as the three-step process (match stopped, match re-stopped, match abandoned), we have to implement an automatic forfeit for the team whose fans have committed racism and caused the match to be abandoned, as well as worldwide stadium bans and criminal charges for racists, he said in a FIFA post on X.

œFIFA and football shows full solidarity to victims of racism and any form of discrimination. Once and for all: No to racism! No to any form of discrimination!

œThe events that took place in Udine and Sheffield on Saturday are totally abhorrent and completely unacceptable. The players affected by Saturday™s events have my undivided support.

œWe need ALL the relevant stakeholders to take action, starting with education in schools so that future generations understand that this is not part of football or society.

Maignan said something had to change as racist abuse has been part of football for too long.

œThis shouldn™t exist in the world of football, but unfortunately for many years this is a recurrence, he told Milan TV after confirming he heard fans making monkey noises.

œWith all the cameras present and sanctions for these things, something must be done to change things.

œWe all have to react, we must do something because you can™t play like this.

Milan and city rivals Inter have both publicly supported Maignan, Serie A said it œcondemns all forms of racism, while France striker Kylian Mbappe said œenough is enough.

œYou are very far from being alone Mike Maignan. We are all with you. Still the same problems and still NO solution. Enough is enough. NO TO RACISM, Mbappe posted on X.

Former England and Arsenal striker Ian Wright applauded the œsolidarity in the Milan side and urged teams to œkeep walking off when they hear abuse and called for stronger sanctions.

He wrote on X: œWe did ˜playing through it™ and nothing has changed. Points deductions needed, the fines are pointless.

However, Coventry midfielder Palmer admitted he was sceptical things would change in the game, also writing on X: œRacism is a disgrace¦ it has no place in the world, let alone football.

œI™m black and proud and I am raising my three kids to be the exact same. I™ll be honest, it feels like things will never change, no matter how hard we try.

œCouple fans doing monkey chants don™t define a fan base - I appreciate all the love and support I™ve received.

Coventry owner Doug King and manager Mark Robins condemned the abuse and offered their full support to Palmer, while Sheffield Wednesday said they were œshocked and saddened by the alleged incident and anyone found culpable will face œthe strictest possible sanctions from both Sheffield Wednesday and the law.