2023-04-19 15:31:59
Juventus Turin obtained Wednesday the cancellation of the partial closure of a stand of its stadium, sanction which it had received after the racist cries from some of his supporters towards the Inter Milan striker Romelu Lukaku.
The stand in question, which has some 4,500 seats, may be open to the public on Sunday evening for the clash of the 31st day of Serie A against leader Naples.
The Italian Federation’s Court of Appeal announced in a statement that “Accept the call” of Juve, without specifying the motivations.
Juve had filed an appeal claiming that its efforts to identify and punish supporters who had been guilty of shouting at Lukaku during an Italian Cup match had not been taken into account.
The Belgian international had been the target of racist insults when equalizing on a penalty in the last minutes of the semi-final first leg (1-1), according to several videos. Serie A, which organizes the Italian Cup, had indicated to justify its initial sanction that “the majority of supporters” occupying this sector had uttered racist cries.
Lukaku was ruled out for a second booking after celebrating his goal in front of the Turin supporters’ stand with his finger to his mouth. Inter have also appealed against their suspension, which they must serve in the Coppa Italia semi-final second leg at the San Siro on April 26.
This new episode of racism in an Italian stadium has sparked many reactions in the country but also abroad, notably from the Frenchman Kylian Mbappé or the president of the International Federation (Fifa) Gianni Infantino.
“The story repeats itself. (…) I hope that the League will really act this time“, had written on Instagram Lukaku, in reference to previous racist cries against him in Cagliari, in September 2019, then not sanctioned.
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