Lazio must partially close the Stadio Olimpico for their next two home games after Wednesday’s Serie A match at home to Napoli was suspended when home fans aimed racist abuse at a visiting player.
The club, whose fans were also involved in racist chanting during a match against Genoa in February 2015, were fined €50,000, Serie A’s disciplinary tribunal said.
Play was held up for around three minutes in the second half after repeated booing was aimed at Napoli’s Senegal international centre-back Kalidou Koulibaly.
Koulibaly was subjected to “unequivocally racist chanting” from the stadium’s Curva Nord “every time he touched the ball” in the second half, the statement quoted referee Massimiliano Irrati’s match report as saying.
Koulibaly was subjected to racist chanting from the Curva Nord every time he touched the ball
Irrati said that the fourth official asked the public authorities at the stadium to halt play in the 62nd minute and make an announcement.
However, after no announcement was made in the next five minutes, the referee himself ordered the match to be suspended. Shortly afterwards, the announcement was made.
The tribunal imposed a one-match partial stadium closure covering the Curva Nord area of the Stadio Olimpico where Lazio’s hardcore fans gather. A similar ban which had been suspended since the Genoa match was invoked.
Lazio were fined a further €15,000 for “chants expressing of discrimination based on territorial origin” aimed at Napoli supporters.
Irrati only decided to continue the game after consulting with coaches and officials and Napoli secured a 2-0 win with goals from Gonzalo Higuain and Jose Callejon to stay top of Serie A.
Koulibaly thanked Tuscan referee Irrati for his support.
The 24-year-old wrote: “A great win! I must thank everybody for their messages of solidarity.
“I also want to thank the Lazio fans but most of all, for his courage, referee Irrati. Thanks also to my team-mates, the club and our fans who have been a great support in the face of those ugly chants.”
Napoli boss Maurizio Sarri bemoaned the supporters’ behaviour following full-time in Rome.
He told sscnapoli.it: “I spoke with the fourth official because the situation was becoming embarrassing and I saw Koulibaly was getting really annoyed.
“So I think the referee took the right decision and I must congratulate him because he’s sent a good message.”