FIFA chief appalled as Dalbert racist abuse halts Serie A game

Milan (AFP) – FIFA president Gianni Infantino said Sunday the problem of racism in Italian football has “not improved” after a Serie A match between Atalanta and Fiorentina was halted for several minutes because of racist abuse of Brazilian Dalbert.

Fiorentina defender Dalbert, 26, asked the referee to halt play after half an hour at the Stadio Ennio Tardini until a warning statement was read out by the stadium speaker to jeers and whistles from the Atalanta fans. 

Play resumed after three minutes with Fiorentina leading 1-0 after a goal from Federico Chiesa.

“In Italy the situation has not improved and this is serious,” Infantino, in Italy ahead of the FIFA Best Awards on Monday, told the Italian Rai2 channel.

“Racism is fought through education, condemning it, talking about it, we cannot accept racism in society and in football.

“We have to identify those responsible and throw them out of the stadiums, we need clear sentences, as in England, we must not be afraid to condemn the racists, we must fight them to the end,” added the FIFA chief.

Since the beginning of the season, Inter Milan’s Belgian striker Romelu Lukaku and AC Milan’s Ivorian player Franck Kessie have been targeted by monkey cries during league games without any sanction being taken.

Last season Blaise Matuidi, Kalidou Koulibaly and Moïse Kean were also victims of the problem which has been recurring for years in Italy.

On the pitch Atalanta rescued a 2-2 draw with two late goals to avoid a second consecutive defeat after their 4-0 Champions League thrashing in Zagreb midweek.