Inter Milan’s Acerbi cleared of racist remark charge due to lack of evidence

Francesco Acerbi left the Italian national team training camp on 18 March following the alleged incident and was replaced by AS Roma’s Gianluca Mancini.

FILE PHOTO: The incident reportedly occurred during a 1-1 draw between Serie A leaders Inter Milan and seventh-placed Napoli | Photo Credit: REUTERS

Inter Milan defender Francesco Acerbi was cleared of a charge of racially insulting Napoli’s Juan Jesus in a Serie A game, in a ruling handed down on Tuesday by an Italian football league judge.

Judge Gerardo Mastrandrea said in the ruling seen by Reuters that the proceedings failed to reach “the minimum level of reasonable certainty as to the discriminatory content of the offence”, and Acerbi was not sanctioned in any way.

The Inter Milan player left the Italian national team training camp on 18 March following the alleged incident and was replaced by AS Roma’s Gianluca Mancini.

The incident reportedly occurred during a 1-1 draw between Serie A leaders Inter Milan and seventh-placed Napoli, with defender Jesus later saying that Acerbi had apologised, while Acerbi denied having used any racist language.