Gianni Infantino offers support to Lecce’s Samuel Umtiti following racism incident

FIFA President Gianni Infantino has offered support to Samuel Umtiti, who was racially abused along with Lameck Banda during Lecce’s win over Lazio yesterday.

Lazio were 1-0 up in the game on Wednesday, but Lecce scored twice to turn it around in the second half. Umtiti had started the game which had to be interrupted several times when Lazio fans were racially abusing the Frenchman. Umtiti had impressed in the game and Lecce fans, in response to the racial abuse from Lazio fans, were chanting the defender’s name.

FIFA President Infantino has now offered support to the Frenchman as he dedicated a post on Instagram to put out the message that racism has to be eradicated from the game.

Infantino’s Instagram post said: “Solidarity with Samuel Umtiti and Lameck Banda – let’s shout it loud and clear: NO TO RACISM! May the huge majority of fans, who are good people, stand up to shut up all the racists once and for all!”

After the game, Lecce president Saverio Sticchi Damiani had revealed that Umtiti had asked the game to continue despite the racial abuse as he wanted to respond to it with his stellar performance against the Biancocelesti.

 

Kaustubh Pandey | GIFN

 

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