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Udinese will seek to ban for life the spectators found guilty of racially abusing AC Milan goalkeeper Mike Maignan during Saturday’s Serie A tie, general manager Franco Collavino said on Monday.
France goalkeeper Maignan alerted the referee before leaving the pitch due to repeated racist chants from the local fans, according to Italian media. He was followed by his teammates to the tunnel before returning to the goal after a few minutes.
“The possible Daspo stadium ban imposed by the judicial authorities has a limited duration, but we will work to exclude these racists from the stadium for life,” Collavino told reporters, as quoted by ANSA.
“There was no chanting, both the referee and the federal prosecutor’s office confirmed this to us… even if it was only one, it would still be very serious,” he added.
A Daspo ban, which can be handed down by the local police authorities, is a provision which forbids a person from attending any sporting event in Italy if they have demonstrated violent or antisocial behaviour.
Maignan called for accountability from “the entire system” in a post on X, formerly Twitter, on Sunday, including those who abused him, those who saw everything but did nothing, Udinese and the authorities.
Udinese said the club “deeply regrets and condemns every act of racism and violence” in a statement on Sunday, adding they would “collaborate with all investigating authorities to ensure immediate clarification of the incident.”
Maignan received the support of his national team coach on Saturday, with Didier Deschamps releasing a statement on the incident in Udine.
“I give all my support to Mike Maignan,” Deschamps said. “What our goalkeeper went through yesterday in Udine is totally unacceptable.
“I completely understand his decision to leave the pitch. Racist insults are unacceptable and must be condemned in the strongest possible terms.
“Racism has no place anywhere, and must be fought relentlessly.”