Published By: Sports Desk
Last Updated: February 21, 2024, 00:01 IST
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AC Milan ahead Rafael Leão has denounced “smallminded” individuals after he was the newest sufferer of racial abuse as the issue continues to blight Italian soccer.
MILAN: AC Milan ahead Rafael Leão has denounced “small-minded” individuals after he was the newest sufferer of racial abuse as the issue continues to blight Italian soccer.
Leão, who’s Black, shared an Instagram story from a social media person who had written in Italian: “I can’t bear to see you anymore. I can’t bear to support you on the field. I am becoming racist … Go away as soon as possible, you and your followers.”
The 24-12 months-outdated Leão commented on it in Portuguese on Tuesday, saying: “Unfortunately, there continues to be these type of small-minded people in the world.”
The newest incident of racism in Italian soccer comes precisely a month after Leão walked off the sphere with the remainder of his Milan teammates after Rossoneri goalkeeper Mike Maignan was racially abused at Udinese.
The followers had been swiftly recognized and banned for all times by Udinese.
“We stand with you Rafa,” Milan mentioned in a publish on X, previously Twitter. “In our fanbase and in football, there’s no room for racism.”
There have been quite a few racist incidents in Italian and European soccer for years, with victims in Italy together with Kevin-Prince Boateng, Mario Balotelli and Romelu Lukaku.
Lazio was sanctioned with a one-match partial stadium closure final month for racist chants directed at Lukaku.
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AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/Soccer
(This story has not been edited by News18 workers and is printed from a syndicated information company feed – Associated Press)
