The Serie A season begins next weekend and refereeing designator Gianluca Rocchi announced new zero tolerance approach to racist abuse. ‘No warnings, now we stop at the first sign of trouble.’
It had been hoped that the long enforced break caused by the pandemic would make fans behave better on their return to stadiums, but instead last season saw increased incidents of racist chanting from the crowds.
The Italian protocol had been for warnings to be read out over the loudspeaker, then if that too was ignored, the referee could stop play for a few minutes while another message was announced.
“I am fed up of seeing certain scenes. The objective now is that at the first sign of trouble regarding racism, we stop. Nobody must be allowed to ruin a game of football,” said designator Rocchi in today’s pre-season meeting of Serie A and B officials.
“We must be extremely severe in the fight against racism. Last year we had a few problems, perhaps we weren’t ready and so decided to discuss with the FIGC the ability to stop at the first sign of any racism.
“The message we need to get across is that Italian football, and citizens, will not accept certain things. We will not just let it go.
“Whereas before the statement over the loudspeaker had to be performed before the game could be stopped, we had the sensation nobody was listening to it. So now we do it the other way around – get people’s attention first, then make the announcement.
“Play will generally be stopped for one minute. If the situation continues, and taking into account the local authorities checking for public order, we will evaluate more time. If it is a clear discriminatory message, we must act immediately. At the first sign.
“Last season people made it look as if we didn’t care, but that was not the case, we are not insensitive. We hear what happens and now we can be quick in stopping play.”
The Italian rules on racism in football also encompass ‘territorial discrimination’ and treat it the same way, so for example the often-heard insulting chants against Naples and the south of Italy would also prompt the immediate halt to a game.
The most common chant that caused controversy last season was aimed at players and coaches from the former Yugoslavia.
In one situation, Roma coach Jose Mourinho waved to stop his own fans from hurling that abuse at Sampdoria boss Dejan Stankovic.