Romelu Lukaku's ban for reacting to racist abuse from Juventus fans is overturned - 'Justice has been done'
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Published 22/04/2023 at 21:22 GMT
Romelu Lukaku said that "justice has been done" after the Inter Milan striker's suspension for reacting to racist abuse from Juventus fans was overturned. The Italian Football Federation made the announcement on Saturday, a day after Inter's initial appeal against the one-match ban had been rejected. Lukaku will be available to face Juve in the Coppa Italia semi-final second leg later this month.
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Inter Milan striker Romelu Lukaku has said "justice has been done" after the president of the Italian Football Federation (FIGC) intervened to overturn a controversial suspension he was handed for reacting to racist abuse from Juventus fans.
Lukaku scored a penalty for Inter in a 1-1 draw in the Coppa Italia semi-final first leg in Turin but was shown a second yellow card for holding a finger to his lips in a gesture the referee deemed provocatory.
It soon became apparent that Lukaku had been subjected to racist abuse and the Belgium international subsequently wrote on social media of his hope that "the league take actions for real this time".
Lukaku’s one-match ban was upheld by Italy’s Sports Court of Appeal, but FIGC President Gabriele Gravina announced an "extraordinary and exceptional" pardon on Saturday, and Lukaku will be free to feature in the second leg.
"I am really happy about this decision from the president of the FIGC, who has shown great sensitivity to the situation,” Lukaku said in a statement on the Inter website.
“I believe that thanks to his intervention, justice has been done and this sends out a great message to the whole world of sport and beyond. This has shown that the desire is there to fight racism."
Inter, who progressed through to the Champions League semi-finals on Wednesday by beating Benfica 5-3 on aggregate, face Juventus at San Siro for the second leg on 26 April.
The decision by the FIGC was made after a report from the Federal Prosecutor’s Office indicated "unequivocally that the behaviour of the player sanctioned by the match director followed the serious and repeated displays of hatred and racial discrimination by the opposing fans”.
A FIGC statement added: "The fight against all forms of racism constitutes one of the founding principles of the sporting system.”
Juventus were initially punished with the closure of a section of their stadium – the ‘Tribuna sud primo anello’ - for one game, but the Turin club’s appeal was successful, and on Wednesday it was announced that the sanction had been removed.
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