There are nuances, interpretations rash it’s a regulation too generic. But there is one certainty: if a match ends with the punishment of a footballer victim of racismwhile for the authors of the vulgar choirs e howl a “supplement of investigation” is simply asked (so the sanction will come, who knows, later…) it is clear that Italian football has got it all wrong. Indeed, after the expulsion of Romelu Lukaku in the final of Juventus–Inter – first leg semifinal of Italian Cup – everyone is trying to run for cover. “The racism And unbearable everywhere, especially on a football field on any football field ”, writes the minister for sport in a tweet Andrea Abodi. While the Serie A League in a note”condemnation firmly every episode of racism and every form of discrimination. The Companies of A, as they always have done, will be able to identify the guiltyexcluding them for life from their plants”.
Statements of circumstance, which however do not serve to avoid the fool. The national team of Belgium she immediately sided with Lukaku: “No to racism“, the tweet accompanied by a photo of Lukaku’s exultation with the jersey of Devils Rossi. Even the club where he grew up, theAnderlecht, wrote in Italian: “Tutti con te Roma”. The three main Italian sports newspapers in their first pages on newsstands they do not even mention the buu and racist chants, while the most important European sports magazine – The team – on his website he dedicates an article to the match entitled: “Romelu Lukaku was the victim of the racist chants of Juventus fans”. Not exactly one nice advertisement for our football. Then came the press release from the company that takes care of Lukaku’s image: la Roc Nationagency founded by Jay-Z which has in its “roster” musicians and sportsmen from all over the world. “Racial insults from Juventus fans have been exceedingly despicable and they cannot be accepted,” he said Michael Yormark, president of Roc Nation. “The Italian authorities must use this opportunity to address racism, rather than to punish the victim of abuse,” he added. A concept that has been reiterated by many, including the deputy Mauro Berrutoex ct of the Italian men’s volleyball team and today head of sport for Pd: “Again, the world upside down. Racism and anti-Semitism are a scourge to be eradicated in the ultras worldwhatever the color of the flag. Instead, whoever reacts like this, with dignity e couragehe comes expelled. Amazing,” she wrote on Twitter.
Because Lukaku was cautioned (and therefore expelled, since he had already received a yellow card) for cheering by silencing racist fans? The news says that a penalty is awarded to Inter in the 93rd minute. While the Nerazzurri striker is on diskette ready to shoot, howls and other racist names are heard raining down from the stands. Lukaku scores and stops, bringing a hand to his forehead to mimic a greeting military and the other to the mouth, making the gesture of with the forefinger silence. Stay still. Everyone interprets his gesture as a response to the Juventus curve, but at the Stadium Lukaku exulted exactly as he had already done on the occasion of the goal against the Sweden, when he wore the Belgium shirt in the match played on March 24th. That way of celebrating is in fact a tribute to Jérémy Doku, his compatriot stopped by yet another injury. The meaning is clear: go on without listening to criticisms. Or the howls. At that moment, the exultation of the Nerazzurri striker actually seems call on to the Juventus curve, who had just addressed him with appellations racists and precisely the usual sad ones buu.
The referee David Massa decides to show the second yellow card to Lukaku, deeming to apply the present rule a page 95 of the regulation: in the event of a goal celebration, the player must be cautioned if “he acts in one way provocative o derisorio“. One rule incomprehensible, because it risks resulting in a yellow card for every goal. The ballet of a footballer can be considered derisive? An attacker who puts his hand to his ear after a goal – Luke Tony did it for a career – is it provocation? According to Massa, therefore, Lukaku “provoked” the racists by asking them to stare shut up. So a poorly written rule has been added a nonsensical interpretation. First of all because the race director didn’t take into account the fact that Lukaku’s celebration was not meant to be to this for the situation, but it was his way of celebrating, already used recently. The same mistake was made by Daniele Dutywho admonished the Atalanta Lookman for cheering by mimicking the glasses gesture, its trademark. Furthermore, if it is true that Lukaku addressed his exultation at the corner, Massa did not evaluate the context in which it matured: racism, in fact. When in 2019 Mario Balotelliwho was then wearing the Brescia shirt, stopped the game and he threw the ball towards the Hellas Verona fans for hearing monkey noises, he was obviously not booked. On the contrary, the match was suspended for a few minutes. An option that referees always have available in the event of racist chanting as much as celebration cards, but do not use practically May.