Serie A Announce Plans for Anti-Discrimination Initiative Following Romelu Lukaku Incident
Serie A have announced that they will be launching an 'anti-discrimination initiative' in response to Inter's Romelu Lukaku being racially abused by Cagliari supporters.
Lukaku was subjected to monkey chants from supporters of the Sardinian club, who also targeted Juventus' duo Moise Kean and Blaise Matuidi earlier in the year with similar racist abuse.
The league has faced plenty of criticism for their lack of action as incidents of racism continue to occur in stadiums across Italy, but they are now looking to launch a campaign which aims to better educate supporters.
"The President of Lega Serie A, Gaetano Micciche, and the CEO, Luigi De Siervo, express Serie A’s strong condemnation in relation to the act of racism that involved the Nerazzurri player Romelu Lukaku,” read the official statement (via Football Italia).
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“Lega Serie A has always been against all forms of discrimination and is strongly committed to countering a hateful phenomenon that, though perpetrated by a few stupid people, damages the whole system.
“In October, a national and international initiative will be launched, involving all 20 Serie A teams, with the aim of making every supporter aware of such a delicate and important issue.
“Each club will be asked to select their own player, who will become part of Serie A’s ‘Team Against Racism’, a testimonial that will be the bearer of the values of respect and equality in the first person.
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“Racism is a cultural problem so everyone’s commitment will be needed, from experts to fans, to promote a positive, consistent and appropriate model of support for a civilised country like Italy through its stadia.”
Cagliari went unpunished for the incidents involving Kean and Matuidi and, as of yet, there is no indication over what action will be taken regarding Lukaku.
