After the racism scandal in Italian football, the association has lifted the suspension of Inter Milan’s Romelu Lukaku for the second leg in the cup semifinals against Juventus Turin.
Association President Gabriele Gravina took this “extraordinary measure” for the game next Wednesday in Milan, the association announced on Saturday.
The 29-year-old was sent off in the first leg with yellow-red. The referee had interpreted Lukaku’s jubilation after his penalty goal in added time to make it 1-1 as a provocation. However, the striker was racially insulted and taunted by opposing fans during the game. Amateur videos showed people in the stands making monkey noises and also verbally attacking the striker. The case caused a sensation in world football.
The association justified the lifting of the ban with the fact that Lukaku was “exposed to multiple serious, repeated and regrettable expressions of hatred and racial discrimination”, which could not formally justify behavior in accordance with the regulations. Gravina also justified the step with the “fight against all forms of racism”.
Lukaku welcomed the decision. “I believe justice has been done and a big signal has been sent to the whole sporting world and beyond,” the 29-year-old was quoted as saying in a statement by Inter on Saturday night. It has been shown that there is a will to fight racism.