New low for Serie A after Benatia involved in live TV racism storm

Benatia, a Morocco international, was being interviewed following a 1-1 Serie A draw at home with city rival Torino when it was cut embarrassingly short by what seemed like a studio technician’s gaffe.

Published : May 07, 2017 17:12 IST , Milan

Benatia, a Morocco international brought up in France, had played for Serie A club AS Roma prior to his switch to the champion.
Benatia, a Morocco international brought up in France, had played for Serie A club AS Roma prior to his switch to the champion.
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Benatia, a Morocco international brought up in France, had played for Serie A club AS Roma prior to his switch to the champion.

Italian football has been hit by a second racist storm inside a week after Juventus defender Mehdi Benatia was insulted live on air during a live, post-match television interview with Italian state broadcaster Rai.

Benatia, a Morocco international, was being interviewed following a 1-1 Serie A draw at home with city rival Torino when it was cut embarrassingly short by what seemed like a studio technician’s gaffe.

As he was speaking to studio presenters about Juventus, Benatia heard a voice over his radio earpiece say: “What are you saying, shit*y Moroccan?”

Benatia, who had been answering a question about Juventus winning its sixth consecutive Serie A title, stopped mid-sentence and said: “Who said that? What stupid person is speaking?”

Presenters also heard the remark, but tried to brush it off, telling Benatia: “It seems there are some technical problems. No one hear has been heard making any insults.”

A visibly angry Benatia wiped his brow as presenters thanked him for his time before bringing the interview to an abrupt end.

It is thought the remark came from a careless studio technician who had left a microphone on, but it put racism firmly back in the spotlight a week after the controversy surrounding Ghana's Sulley Muntari.

Pescara midfielder Sulley Muntari said Saturday he felt “treated like a criminal” after being sanctioned for walking off the pitch during a 1-0 loss at Cagliari last week where he fell victim to racial abuse.

Muntari was booked by the referee for complaining about the abuse and then shown a red card for walking off the pitch in the final minutes.

After he personally appealed to league bosses, his ban was rescinded on Saturday when he said: “I was being treated like a criminal. How could I be punished when I was the victim of racism?”

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