Roma Punished For Balotelli Chants

[Folami David]

Roma will have to shut down part of their stadium for one game next season after the club's supporters repeated racist chants about Mario Balotelli.
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The Serie A side reacted by vowing to ban anyone identified with the songs.
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Roma were fined £42,400 after the game against Balotelli's AC Milan was halted and restarted on 12 May.
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Recent racism in football
19 May: Roma and Inter fans both make racist
chants about Mario Balotelli in separate games
12 May: Referee temporarily halts play in AC Milan
v Roma game because of racist chanting
18 March: Inter Milan fans charged for racist
behaviour against Tottenham in Europa League
26 February: Inter fined after fans abuse AC
Milan's Mario Balotelli in Milan derby
6 February: AC Milan vice-president accused of
using racist language to describe Balotelli
30 January: Lazio fined for racist chanting in
Europa League games against Tottenham and
Maribor
3 January 2013: Kevin-Prince Boateng walks off
pitch after chanting from rival fans.
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After the striker was the target of more racial abuse in Sunday's game with Napoli, the south stand of Roma's ground will be temporarily closed.
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"What occurred Sunday night is appalling and unacceptable. AS Roma does not want those individuals [who are] responsible as fans," the club said in a statement.
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"The actions of this small group are hateful and also hurt our club and our loyal law-abiding supporters.
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"We have not yet received a detailed report from the league or federation but will continue to work with them and law enforcement to ensure that everything possible is done to identify and ban those involved from football stadia."
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As well as having to shut the Curva Sud section for one game at the start of next season, Roma have been issued with another 50,000 euros (£42,400) fine.
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That 8,486-capacity Curva Sud part of Stadio Olimpico houses the club's most hardcore fans - called 'Ultras'.
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Roma's partial stadium closure does not apply to Sunday's Coppa Italia derby at the ground with neighbours Lazio.
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Balotelli's former club Inter Milan was also punished with a 50,000 euros fine - but no stadium ban - after their fans abused him in their 5 2 defeat at Udinese on Sunday.
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In February, Inter were fined the same amount for singing offensive songs about the Italy international during the Milan derby.
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Balotelli was one of three black players the Italian football authorities declared had been victimised after play in the 0-0 draw between Milan and Roma was stopped for about two minutes.

[Shola Sholaz]

Roma deserve what they got. They should know racism is no longer encouraged from any player or club.