Serie A - Platini: Halt matches if racists chant

Eurosport - Tue, 21 Apr 13:13:00 2009

UEFA president Michel Platini wants matches to be halted if fans make racist chants.

FOOTBALL, michel platini, uefa - 0

Juventus were ordered to play a game behind closed doors on Monday after fans racially abused Internazionale striker Mario Balotelli in Saturday's 1-1 Serie A draw.

"We will call for play to be stopped for 10 minutes when these things happen and announcements to be made in the stadium," Platini said.

"If it continues the match will be stopped. Courage is needed when there is racism in the stands. That's UEFA's mission."

Racist abuse is not uncommon in Italian soccer and small fines are usually handed out. However, the seriousness of Saturday's incidents prompted the authorities to come down heavily on Juve.

"It is a difficult moment for the Italian soccer federation. It has taken its responsibility," added former Juve player Platini.

Italian federation president Giancarlo Abete said that rules would be changed to allow games to be stopped for racist chanting.

"The Italian system already gives the authorities the power to suspend the game in the case of banners that incite racial discrimination," he said.

"We'll reinforce this, naturally while staying attentive and finding a balance for the security requirements of the public."

The 18-year-old Balotelli 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 crowd in Turin.

Balotelli, an Italy under-21 international, was born in Palermo but is of Ghanaian descent.

Juventus have announced that they are appealing the decision.

Reuters

Comment 17 - 36 of 36

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  1. as usual pratini standing up after the fact where was­ he and bleeter when the spanish gave heskey and the­ england boys abuse? typical uefa hates the epl and­ can't stand his beloved euro teams getting stuffed­ in the cl so he'll defend them but not us!

    From jc297, on Wed 22 Apr 12:46AM

  2. Platini is a bona-fide t wat....just because there are­ some dumb people who allegedly said something racist to­ players doesn't mean you should cancel a game. I­ have been to so many games the racists chants arent­ even really racist...The FA is just being a bunch of­ bleeding heart t wats

    From alex, on Tue 21 Apr 11:10PM

  3. as a former player i think that this racism thing is­ blown out of proportions because the racist chants are­ not really about racism but more so about getting under­ the player's skin and hinder his performance

    From mathewdionyssiou, on Tue 21 Apr 9:14PM

  4. Am an Azurri fan, but for this action Italian National­ side and clubs should be banned from all competitions­ for 10 years

    From Godwin, on Tue 21 Apr 7:06PM

  5. Why is it that the colour of a player has to be­ integrated in a game? Don't we see whites­ representing African countries like South Africa,­ Namibia??? The boy was born in Italy. I bet if he was­ representing Italy at the world cup and scored the­ winning goal, there will be no RASISt chanting. By the­ way, Italy vs France at the world cup, didn't­ Matterazi holler rasist abuse at Zidane?

    From armychick, on Tue 21 Apr 7:01PM
  6. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    the fans just chanted that their isnt such thing as a­ Black Italian. There isnt any "racism" there.­ An italian born in Nigeria will never be called a­ Nigerian so Balotelli can not be Italian.

    From fsdfdsf f, on Tue 21 Apr 5:21PM

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    From zonablk01, on Tue 21 Apr 5:05PM

  8. i love juve fansss good work­ boyssssssssssssssssssss....:D :D :D

    From raskuba, on Tue 21 Apr 4:50PM

  9. Donalderott comment 27 You are right.If I were at­ Stampford Bridge in the match Mighty Reds-Chelsea, I­ would have organised my group and we start chanting­ racism act against Drogba continously until the match­ is pospone.We make sure it continues like that till the­ day the Mighty Reds is winning 3-0.

    From Michael, on Tue 21 Apr 4:44PM

  10. donalderocitt: grassy nole anyone?

    From crispyduck, on Tue 21 Apr 4:38PM

  11. this is a ridiculous idea. it would be easy for­ opposition's fans to dress up in the other­ team's colours and start chanting racial abuse just­ so that the team they appear to be opposing win­ automatically.

    From William, on Tue 21 Apr 4:30PM
  12. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

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    From cherryloveer3, on Tue 21 Apr 4:09PM

  13. Matches would never end then...

    From johnka7a, on Tue 21 Apr 4:07PM

  14. Just a thought, a stupid one I know. but here it is,,­ try painting the goal post s BLACK and the field­ markings as well, that may encourage these disgusting­ racists of whatever colour to stay away..I doubt it­ ,with their small minds they would probably be happy­ abusing the goal post and the penalty spot.,, must­ admit these racist thugs are only worth a stupid­ suggestion such as this..

    From arsnic, on Tue 21 Apr 3:24PM

  15. Sorry - comment 16

    From Graham, on Tue 21 Apr 3:19PM

  16. Comment 9 - Quite right, no racism in Liverpool - they­ just smear excrement over the toilet walls of Old­ Trafford about Munich 1958

    From Graham, on Tue 21 Apr 3:18PM

  17. What the hell has racism got to do with Platini? I­ wish he'd get on with his job, or better still,­ just pi$$ off. Let the courts deal with any criminal­ offence as they always have done.

    From david b, on Tue 21 Apr 3:17PM

  18. To those who think fans may start racist chanting if­ their team go a goal behind.

    If that game is then­ abandoned, the game will be awarded to the opposition­ as a 3-0 score line.

    The fans will have guaranteed a­ loss for their club.

    .

    To those who say just eject­ the individuals chanting. Sometimes that can be a­ whole stand. If a team get a game abandoned because of­ a whole stand, you can bet the club will just close­ that stand for the next game.

    .

    This behaviour should­ not be tolerated, clubs need to take action to monitor­ their supporters. Those guilty of harming the clubs­ interests by engaging in racist chants should receive­ life bans. The action by Platini will give an­ incentive to those clubs with specific problems.

    From Scottish C, on Tue 21 Apr 3:05PM

  19. bookbox... insults are fine, even when they involve­ abusive language. That's all part of the banter­ and most fans and players give it and take it with good­ grace. I agree it's not great for kids to hear­ some of it, but most stadiums have family stands and­ the tone of the chanting tends to be more appropriate­ in those areas.

    .

    Why should racism be a special­ case? Because those members of the far right making­ those chants see black people as less than human. The­ chants mentioned here allude to forced repatriation,­ apartheid in Europe, a white only Italy. In recent­ history we have had ethnic cleansing in Europe, in­ living memory we have had the holocaust. Racist abuse­ is different because we have examples of people acting­ on it to wipe out an entire race. That's why­ racism should not be tolerated. Thats why teams should­ be punished if their supporters engage in racist­ chanting.

    Well done Platini and UEFA for making a­ stand against this vile hatred. For too long now,­ authorities have turned a blind eye to this.

    From Scottish C, on Tue 21 Apr 2:55PM

  20. comment 18 ; well said mate!

    From Chris W, on Tue 21 Apr 2:41PM
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