January 25 – Four more Udinese fans who racially abused AC Milan goalkeeper Mike Maignan have been identified and punished.
Police said three men and a woman ranging in age from 32 to 45 were all given five-year bans – the maximum sentence available – from all sports events in Italy.
Another fan had already been identified and banned for life by Udinese on Monday and the club vowed to do the same for the other “evil people” amid calls for tougher sanctions from authorities.
The Italian league’s disciplinary judge on Tuesday ordered Udinese to play its next home behind closed doors.
Maignan, who is black, walked off the pitch during Saturday’s Serie A match at Udinese after being subjected to what he said were monkey noises. He was followed by the rest of the team before play later resumed.
Udinese said they have also issued lifetime bans to the four newly identified perpetrators.
“As has been the case from the very beginning, the club has continued its work alongside the police, reaffirming its absolute determination to punish the culprits as evidence of its concrete commitment against any form of discrimination,” the club said in a statement.
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