Lazio sanctioned for racist chanting

By Football Italia staff

Lazio’s Curva Nord will be closed for two games, after racist chanting against Sassuolo at the weekend.

The Biancocelesti thrashed the Emilian side 6-1 on Sunday, and currently sit in fourth place in Serie A.

However, racist chanting was heard during the game, and today the Lega Serie A has released its disciplinary report, closing the Curva Nord for one game.

It was found that “around 2,000 of the 5449 occupants” of the section were guilty of “chants expressive of racial discrimination” in the 31st and 77th minutes of the match.

The racist chants were aimed at Claud Adjapong and Alfred Duncan respectively, and were heard by all three of Federation’s observers.

Match referee Fabio Maresca also noted racist chants in his official report, though he only heard the ones directed at Adjapong.

An announcement was made over the tannoy in the 38th minute urging fans to stop the chants or risk suspension of the match.

A suspended sentence had already been applied for the same reason after the Rome derby on April 30 this year.

Lazio therefore “have the obligation to play one game with the section called the Curva Nord without spectators”, with the suspension lifted for the Roma sanction.

That means both Lazio-Cagliari and Lazio-Udinese will see the Curva Nord shut.

Elsewhere, Atalanta have been fined €10,000 after “half-full” bottles were thrown at Juventus players, with Inter fined €2,500 for delaying the start of their match with Benevento by four minutes.

Roma have been given the same sanction after their match with Milan started three minutes late.

There were three red cards over the weekend, and Milan midfielder Hakan Calhanoglu, Edgar Barreto of Sampdoria and Verona’s Bruno Zuculini have been given one-match bans.

Juventus sporting director Fabio Paratici has been fined €20,000 and banned until October 15 for insulting the Video Assistant Referee after the draw with Atalanta.

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