Milan storm off pitch after racist chants
Milan striker Kevin-Prince Boateng stormed off the pitch after racist chants from a group of fans on Thursday, forcing a friendly away game against fourth-tier club Pro Patria to be suspended.
“Shame that these things still happen,” the 25-year-old German-born Ghanaian player said on his Twitter account after the match was stopped in the 26th minute when he led his team off the pitch.
Sports daily Gazzetta dello Sport said it was the first time in Italy that a football game had been suspended because of racist chants.
Boateng picked up the ball, kicked it towards the stands and walked off the pitch in Pro Patria’s home town of Busto Arsizio near Milan.
His team-mates walked off after him despite Pro Patria players begging them to stay and whistles from most of the home fans against the racists.
The referee had already suspended the game twice before Boateng’s outburst for repeated insults against the striker and team-mates Sulley Muntari, M’Baye Niang and Urby Emanuelson.
“Pulling out was the right choice with something like this,” said Milan coach Massimiliano Allegri.
“We have to stop it with these uncouth acts. Italy as a country has to improve and become more civilized and intelligent,” he told reporters.
Captain Massimo Ambrosini added: “That was intolerable, it was only a friendly. We couldn’t have gone on like that, we had to give a signal.”
There were many expressions of support for Boateng’s unprecedented move from football fans on social media networks, as well as from Italy’s football federation president Giancarlo Abete who spoke of a “resurgence of racial discrimination.”
“This was an unspeakable and intolerable incident,” said Abete, calling on federation prosecutors to work together with police and identify the racists.
“The racist behaviour of these so-called fans ruined a friendly game that was meant to be a feast of football in Busto Arsizio,” he said.
But town mayor Gigi Farioli said Boateng’s reaction had been “inappropriate” and he should have been sent off for “kicking a ball at 200 kilometres an hour towards a fan”.
Pato joins Corinthians
Alexandre Pato will return to Brazil after Milan last night confirmed they had reached an agreement with recently-crowned Club World Cup champions Corinthians over the forward’s transfer.
The 23-year-old has reportedly signed a four-year deal after revealing his desire to return to his homeland last month.
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C Brincau
Jan 4th, 17:15
a story ultra hyped for one single reason, giving a positive and good imagine to Milan president who shortly will be contesting elections! Were where these players and other Milan staff when their own supporters just a few weeks ago were wearing masks to insult Napoli fans??? Typical Italian biased media which shows what they want when they want....all of a sudden they became angels pppfff
B Debono
Jan 4th, 22:01
Racially abusing 4 players of a colour and abusing another player who's origins are Egyptian, referring to El Shaarawy can be compared to wearing masks? GROW UP, PLEASE.
leo briffa
Jan 4th, 14:57
imagine an employee that does that just because a client critisises the way thing are being done. throwing his computer at the client. now visualize the wage of Boeting and the employee's wage. what a stupid thing to do, he should have played on, (Respecting the other fans) and then take the necessary legal actions against the club and the supporters, anyway it was on tv and everyone was visible
D Crowley
Jan 4th, 16:38
Play on and ignore the fact that RACISM is sinful and must be kicked out of football? At least there's people like Boateng, Eto'o, Z'oro, people who stand up for themselves, and don't allow others to degrade them. You're not expected to sympathise for ethnicity who have suffered a lot in history, but explain to me why you should attack someone on the basis of their skin colour? is it their fault?
B Debono
Jan 4th, 17:16
Once Drogba said: "Buu" me if I play bad, not for my skin colour."!!
Richard Curmi
Jan 4th, 14:48
Continued.@ George Attard, every player that played was abused in one way or another. I want just one answer from you. Why is racial abuse stamped upon and the other abuse I mentioned is not? If you play and especially being professional you have to take it in the stride, otherwise just lead a normal life. NO YOU CANNOT LEAVE THE PITCH cause of some few ignorant.Yes it is theatrics.
D Crowley
Jan 4th, 16:34
Richard, I see where you're coming from, but you're not entirely understanding George's point here. NO ABUSE OF ANY SORT should be tolerated. HOWEVER, racial abuse is specifically a sensitive area as it also has close ties with many events in history (I.E. Holocaust, Segregation in US during the 1950's, Slavery). Believe it or not, History has drawn a greater sensitivity towards racism by society.
Richard Curmi
Jan 4th, 17:17
Mr Crowley, Last but not least, you did not seem to read what i wrote, for you, only racial abuse is a big no no. I played soccer and was abused countless times during games, I always made that invisible shutter in front of my ears and played on. I only had 200 pounds wage, you know what these players get paid ,to do these THEATRICS! They abuse it a little too much. Some like attention!
D Crowley
Jan 4th, 19:02
Richard, I repeat, "NO ABUSE OF ANY SORT should be tolerated".... this should mean something! I never said that only racial abuse is a big no no! Read what I wrote ;)
Mr Edward Muscat
Jan 4th, 12:58
These are all theatrics. I'd like to see them doing it during an official competitive game, not against Pro (?) Patria!!!
George Attard
Jan 4th, 13:45
yeah because if one is racially abused they should just ignore it. what type of comment is that, 'theatrics'. i'd like to see you try to play a game while having verbal and racial abuse being directed at you.
well done to AC Milan and it's players in supporting Boateng. This just goes to show just how bad racism is in Europe and Italy. sickening.
Kevin Camilleri
Jan 4th, 14:22
Well... they had the "facility" of doing it because it was a friendly. If it is a Champions League game, and a team decides to walk out because of racial abuse, the opposing team would be in deep trouble and most probably lose the game on a walk over. Racial abuse is not tolerated in football.
Richard Curmi
Jan 4th, 14:42
@George Attard,
Can you please tell me the difference between being racially abused because of your colour and being abused with your mother and father, with all your dead family, with your children, with your wife, with your work, and god knows with what more?. Have you ever played competitive soccer with supporters watching you and abusing you with all the things I mentioned Mr Attard?
George Attard
Jan 4th, 16:12
@Richard Curmi, I don't take notice if someone verbally abuses my family because they don't know them. Getting mad at that will just make them win, I'm not weak like that. but racial abuse is far worse. and it also shows what is wrong with society. clearly you don' t understand and should look into racism much more closely.
Peter Paul Cassar
Jan 4th, 16:23
well said richard!!
Please choose the reason of your report below: