By Andrew Warshaw
August 20 – Blighted for months by a series of match-fixing and racism cases, Lazio, one of Rome’s two iconic clubs, shows no sign of improving its image following yet another punishment for discrimination by its fans.
This time, a section of the club’s home ground has been ordered to be closed for one match after supporters from the notorious Curva Nord, where the hardcore ‘Ultras’ are situated, abused opposing black players during the Italian Supercup against Juventus.
Juve trio Paul Pogba of France, Ghana midfielder Kwadwo Asamoah and Angelo Ogbonna, an Italy defender of Nigerian descent, were all subjected to racist chanting as the Serie A champions trounced Lazio 4-0 at Rome’s Stadio Olimpico on Sunday.
Footballing authorities were quick to react, with Lazio – who earlier this year was ordered by UEFA to play two European games behind closed doors in the wake of a fourth instance of racism – now facing Udinese in their opening Serie A match of the new season without fans at one end of the stadium.
Pogba, who was on the scoresheet in Juve’s thumping victory, hit out at the fans’ behaviour but said there was nothing he could do to prevent it.
“We heard it, they’re ignorant,” Pogba told AFP. “What can I do? I’m alone against 30,000 fans. They do that even though there are blacks in their team. It’s also a lack of respect towards their own players.
“It’s really not nice to come to a football match and hear those sort of things, but I’m a player, I concentrate on my job.”
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