Lifetime bans for those who racially abused Maignan, says Udinese general manager

Udinese will seek to ban for life the spectators found guilty of racially abusing AC Milan goalkeeper Mike Maignan during Saturday’s Serie A tie, general manager Franco Collavino said.

Published : Jan 22, 2024 20:34 IST - 1 MIN READ

Referee Fabio Maresca, right, speaks to AC Milan’s Mike Maignan during the Italian Serie A match between Udinese and AC Milan that was suspended.
Referee Fabio Maresca, right, speaks to AC Milan’s Mike Maignan during the Italian Serie A match between Udinese and AC Milan that was suspended. | Photo Credit: AP
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Referee Fabio Maresca, right, speaks to AC Milan’s Mike Maignan during the Italian Serie A match between Udinese and AC Milan that was suspended. | Photo Credit: AP

Udinese will seek to ban for life the spectators found guilty of racially abusing AC Milan goalkeeper Mike Maignan during Saturday’s Serie A tie, general manager Franco Collavino said on Monday.

Frenchman Maignan alerted the referee before leaving the pitch due to repeated racist chants from the local fans, according to Italian media. He was followed by his team mates to the tunnel before returning to the goal after a few minutes.

“The possible Daspo stadium ban imposed by the judicial authorities has a limited duration, but we will work to exclude these racists from the stadium for life,” Collavino told reporters, as quoted by ANSA.

“There was no chanting, both the referee and the federal prosecutor’s office confirmed this to us... even if it was only one, it would still be very serious,” he added.

Maignan called for accountability from “the entire system” in a post on X, formerly Twitter, on Sunday, including those who abused him, those who saw everything but did nothing, Udinese and the authorities.

Udinese said the club “deeply regrets and condemns every act of racism and violence” in a statement on Sunday, adding it would “collaborate with all investigating authorities to ensure immediate clarification of the incident”.

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