The Italian Football Federation (FIGC) has decided to postpone the suspension of an Inter stand, originally imposed for “territorial discrimination.” This decision allows Inter fans to attend the upcoming derby against AC Milan on Sunday. A similar sanction against AS Roma has also been delayed, as the Federal Court of Justice seeks to conduct further investigations into the incidents.
The FIGC aims to delve deeper into the matter to ensure that allegations of racist chants and territorial discrimination are substantiated before taking definitive action. Under the new regulations implemented by the FIGC on October 16, a first instance of racism or territorial discrimination by the public results in a suspended sanction, subject to a probationary period of one year. A repeat offense leads to the closure of the stand from which the discriminatory chants originated for two matches.
Inter had previously faced sanctions for territorial discrimination against Torino. Recent anti-Neapolitan chants by Inter fans raised concerns about the potential removal of the reprieve. Roma fans are also under suspicion for making racist cries against Mario Balotelli, a black AC Milan player. The reprieve for Roma hinged on anti-Neapolitan chants during a match against Naples.
This season, ultras’ stands of Roma, Lazio, Inter, and Milan have already been closed due to incidents related to racism or “territorial discrimination.” The concept of “territorial discrimination” has sparked controversy in Italy, with a conflict emerging between ultras advocating for the right to mock and the FIGC, which aims to adhere to the directives of the European football governing body (UEFA) regarding discrimination. Despite the measures, some tifosi associations continue to argue that the chants are merely “schoolboy humor” and not a form of racism.
