Another Player Walk-Off In Italy Due to Racism.

SlickRic

AC Milan midfielder Kevin Constant walked off the pitch during a pre-season tournament match against fellow Serie A side Sassuolo on Tuesday in response to alleged racist abuse.

The 26-year-old Guinea international kicked the ball into the crowd and left the pitch in the 34th minute.

Milan sent on a substitute, and an announcement warned the game would be stopped if further incidents occurred.

The Italian Football Federation has announced an immediate inquiry.
Constant's actions emulate Kevin-Prince Boateng's in January.

The Ghana international sparked a walk-off during AC Milan's match against Italian lower division club Pro Patria by picking up the ball midway through the first half and kicking it into the crowd before removing his shirt.

He was followed off by both sets of players and officials.

In May, Fifa announced new measures to tackle racism, declaring that teams could be relegated or expelled from competitions for serious incidents of racism as a result of tough new powers.

it'll never stop.

some people are just angry, prejudiced, and most importantly, more than a bit stupid.

LuckyLloyd

It will stop when a team walks off during a high profile competitive game in the CL or International competition; FIFA / UEFA try to sanction said team; and then are forced to run cowering from the world's defense of said team.

Until that happens, no, it won't stop.

Moneymaker

In May, Fifa announced new measures to tackle racism, declaring that teams could be relegated or expelled from competitions for serious incidents of racism as a result of tough new powers.

They have a chance to set a marker and stop this vile abuse early in the season.

Of course they'll sweep it under the carpet and give the offending club a slap on the wrist as usual. :mad:

Neil3030

Ha! My flatmate is from Sassuolo! She might be hearing about this!

(Not that this isn't reprehensible, cave-man behaviour)

Leiva

Fascist Racist Bullyboys 2 Italian Football 0

bradlente

Leiva wrote: »

Fascist Racist Bullyboys 2 Italian Football 0

They're really building momentum for the coming season,Star striker Marciano Bigotri smashing them in.

GLaDOS

So Milan just sent on a sub and everything continued as normal? Not showing a lot of support for the player =/

bradlente

ScienceNerd wrote: »

So Milan just sent on a sub and everything continued as normal? Not showing a lot of support for the player =/

What would you expect from a side that's owned and run by a criminal?

GTR63

ScienceNerd wrote: »

So Milan just sent on a sub and everything continued as normal? Not showing a lot of support for the player =/

The protocol is the game is stopped and they warn the fans 1 more time that if it continues the game will be abandoned. The game was a 45 min one so it would of hardly set down a marker. Certainly the Roma game last year was much worse and if we walked off then we'd of been proper f**ked.

Seaneh

ScienceNerd wrote: »

So Milan just sent on a sub and everything continued as normal? Not showing a lot of support for the player =/

After the friendly in December the club changed their internal policies on walk offs, after being warned by FIFA and UEFA and Calico Italia that walking of during a competitive match would lead to forfeiting the match and even risk further sanctions such as points deductions or fines.

There are new protocols which include the Ref making an announcement that if the abuse continues the match will be abandoned, police being alerted and abusive fans being identified and prosecuted. Clubs in Italy can now even be relegated for consistent racist abuse form fans, so why should Milan risk reprimands?

Statement from Milan today.

“On the evening of July 23rd 2013 there was another episode involving racist intolerance and this time the victim was Kevin Constant, who reacted by leaving the field of play,” the statement read.

“This was not a decision he should have taken upon himself to make and despite his more than understandable reasons and the anger he must have felt, AC Milan would like to remind everyone that the only people responsible for intervening against any manifestations that offend the human dignity, which includes racial discrimination, are the referee in charge of the match and the head of public safety.

“The use of the legal system and institutional rights, which every member of the public requires to exist in a civil society, does not compensate for the fact that these episodes continue to happen at a frequent rate.

“Racism has no alibis, not if those of a distorted mind believe that men should be divided because of the colour of their skin or because of their nationality, or if their manifestations – gestures, words or sounds – are the result of a foul and nasty recurring essence born of a miserable mind that is incapable of formulating an opinion because such opinions are too horrible.

“Both categories deserve zero tolerance, and they should no longer have it as of today. It is not so much about defending a footballer or a sport but the entire civil world, to which these people have never belonged to.”

Seaneh

bradlente wrote: »

What would you expect from a side that's owned and run by a criminal?

Because there are countless examples of other clubs reacting differently are there?

Milan have been one of the most consistent clubs in the world in condemning racism and supporting their players of various ethnicities. The owner and the club are not the same.

bradlente

Seaneh wrote: »

Because there are countless examples of other clubs reacting differently are there?

Milan have been one of the most consistent clubs in the world in condemning racism and supporting their players of various ethnicities. The owner and the club are not the same.

I meant it slightly tongue in cheek.

However regarding Milan's record in the past,Was Paolo Berlusconi punished for his remark's about Balotelli earlier in the year?

Seaneh

bradlente wrote: »

I meant it slightly tongue in cheek.

However regarding Milan's record in the past,Was Paolo Berlusconi punished for his remark's about Balotelli earlier in the year?

Yes, he was removed from the board of the club.

bradlente

Seaneh wrote: »

Yes, he was removed from the board of the club.

Oh



It seem's generally systemic throughout the Country.I didn't mean to get on the back of AC really,It's just having the like's of the two Berlusconi brother's associated at the top of so many walk's of life(Football,Media,Politic's etc.)within the Country make's me wonder if their ideal's are entrenched within the institution's they run.Considering their influence lead's me to conclude they are,Albeit a bit rash there in the case of AC.

Francie Barrett

LuckyLloyd wrote: »

It will stop when a team walks off during a high profile competitive game in the CL or International competition; FIFA / UEFA try to sanction said team; and then are forced to run cowering from the world's defense of said team.

Until that happens, no, it won't stop.

So a €2,000 fine and a telling off won't do the trick? Damn.

GLaDOS

Seaneh wrote: »

There are new protocols which include the Ref making an announcement that if the abuse continues the match will be abandoned, police being alerted and abusive fans being identified and prosecuted. Clubs in Italy can now even be relegated for consistent racist abuse form fans, so why should Milan risk reprimands?

Fair enough, didn't realise that

GTR63

I just wanted to use this once.

LuckyLloyd

LuckyLloyd wrote: »

It will stop when a team walks off during a high profile competitive game in the CL or International competition; FIFA / UEFA try to sanction said team; and then are forced to run cowering from the world's defense of said team.

Until that happens, no, it won't stop.

That's what it comes down to. Same in the GAA, it's only going to be when some white people have balls that it'll stop happening.

cournioni

LuckyLloyd wrote: »

It will stop when a team walks off during a high profile competitive game in the CL or International competition; FIFA / UEFA try to sanction said team; and then are forced to run cowering from the world's defense of said team.

Until that happens, no, it won't stop.

Sorry, but that won't stop it. It may help, but it won't stop it. It is a social problem and until you fix society, racism will always raise its head again and again.

Seans_Username

GTR63 wrote: »

I just wanted to use this once.

"BREAK YO-SELF FOOL!"

"Aw ****! It's Kevin Constant!"

Reekwind

cournioni wrote: »

Sorry, but that won't stop it. It may help, but it won't stop it. It is a social problem and until you fix society, racism will always raise its head again and again.

While I wouldn't draw a firm dividing line between football and society, I'd disagree with this.

Racism in society is a much bigger problem but racism within the small confines of a football stadium, well, that can be tackled. Footballing authorities can and have used their powers, and legal measures, to deny this space to racists. The throwing of bananas on to the pitch, the massed chants and monkey sounds, the racist banners... these have all been (largely) ejected from English football grounds. Why? Because the authorities decided to act

Will we ever eradicate racism entirely within the stadium? No, you'll always have idiots. But it can make them the exception. Whatever happens with the rest of society, the space of the stadium is possible to control and to purge of racism