UEFA Must Investigate Man Utd 'Racist Abuse' Of Inter's Balotelli - Top Journalist
La Repubblica’s Gianni Mura has urged the European football authorities to investigate the alleged racist taunts directed at Balotelli and Vieira at Old Trafford.
Mar 16, 2009 7:06:32 AM
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Renowned Italian football journalist Gianni Mura wrote in La Repubblica newspaper that Inter striker Mario Balotelli and midfielder Patrick Vieira were subjected to racist abuse by Manchester United fans during the Champions League last 16 second leg clash last Wednesday.
“They [the English supporters] do it too, and it’s even worse,” Mura lamented in his weekly Sunday editorial ‘Sette Giorni Di Cattivi Pensieri’.
“Fans were doing monkey chants as soon as Balotelli and Vieira touched the ball, and now I am really curious to see if UEFA will start an investigation regarding this racist abuse.
“There is no point going there to ask questions, you can just watch the TV images. Otherwise, it will be evident that the fight against racism in football is only led through advertisements.”
RAI journalist Enrico Varriale asserted last week that Balotelli had been racially abused, and Mura's comments have now added further fuel to the fire.English tabloid The Sun claimed that Chelsea forward Didier Drogba was racially taunted in Turin during the Champions League match with Juventus, and UEFA director of communications William Gaillard said that an investigation will be launched, if the allegations proved to be true.
It remains to be seen if there will be any such enquiry into the alleged events at Old Trafford and, unlike the Drogba incident, the English media have so far printed or said nothing about Balotelli and Vieira.
Vince Masiello, Goal.com