“Federation Grants Exceptional Pardon to Lukaku for Anti-Racism Stand”

Il President of the Football Federation Gabriele Gravina he just graceor “exceptionally and extraordinary” Inter striker Romelu Lukaku, to give a strong signal against racism. The Belgian he will therefore be on the field against Juventus in the return semi-final of the Italian Cup scheduled for next Wednesday.

‘FIGHT AGAINST RACISM’ – This is the motivation of the provision of the Football Federation: “The principle of the fight against all forms of racism is a founding element of the sports system”. The Nerazzurri striker had been sent off for a second yellow card at the end of the outward challenge, after the racist howls for which the Juventus fans’ sector was initially disqualified, then reopened. The Sports Court of Appeal rejected Inter’s appeal, which then protested: “The victim thus becomes the perpetrator”

THE RELEASE – The Federal President – given CU n. 182 of the Sports Judge of the Serie A League of 6 April 2023 with which a one-day ban was imposed on the player LUKAKU BOLINGOLI ROMELU (Internazionale FC) following his expulsion for a second yellow card in the Juventus – Inter match in Italian Cup;

– given the provision of the Sports Court of Appeal referred to in the CU n. 211/CSA of 04.21.2023 which confirmed the sanction inflicted by the Sports Judge following the expulsion order;

– considering that it emerged unequivocally from the report of the Federal Prosecutor’s Office that the aforementioned player has been subjected, on several occasions, to serious, repeated and regrettable manifestations of hatred and racial discrimination such as to be able to justify formally non-regulatory behavior and evaluated as such by the race director;

– considering that the principle of the fight against all forms of racism constitutes one of the founding principles of the sporting system, in its international and national dimension;

– considered therefore, on a par with the applicability in a general way to all the sanctioning cases of art. 43 of the Sports Justice Code, that there are serious reasons for granting an exceptional and extraordinary pardon in relation to the disqualification inflicted for the expulsion order following the second yellow card; grants pardon in relation to the disqualification imposed by the Sports Justice bodies on the footballer LUKAKU BOLINGOLI ROMELU

LUKAKU’S WORDS – These are the words of the Belgian attacker on the Inter website: “I am really happy with this decision by the FIGC president who has shown great sensitivity. I believe that thanks to his intervention, justice has been done and a great signal has been given to the whole world of sport and beyond. It has been shown that there is a will to fight racism”

Inter, Lukaku after pardon: ‘Justice is done! Great signal to the world of sport