Lazio were ordered to close part of their stadium for their next match after fans racially abused two Lecce players on Wednesday. Defender Samuel Umtiti and winger Ramek Banda received racist chants from Lazio supporters during Wednesday’s game as Lecce got a 2-1 victory.
The Curva Nord section of Rome’s Stadio Olimpico will be closed for Sunday’s Serie A clash with Empoli.
Lazio denounced the chants as disgusting and disgraceful. FIFA president Gianni Infantino addressed the abuse in a social media post on Thursday.
The match at Via del Mare stadium in Lecce was delayed while an announcement calling for the chants to be stopped was made. France defender Umtiti’s name was chanted by home fans in an attempt to drown out the abuse.
Lazio’s stadium was partially closed for the 2019 Europa League match against Celtic due to racist behavior by fans.
In 2020, Lazio were fined €20,000 for fans’ racially insulting Brescia striker Mario Balotelli.
Serie A is also investigating allegations of racial slurs by Napoli supporters against Inter Milan striker Romelu Lukaku during Inter‘s 1-0 win.