Lazio have been fined €50,000 and told to close the Curva Nord for two games after their match against Napoli was briefly suspended due to fans’ racist chanting.
The Serie A fixture was put on hold by referee Massimiliano Irrati for around three minutes after home supporters at the Olympic Stadium in Rome aimed racist abuse at the visiting centre-back Kalidou Koulibaly.
Lazio were fined €50,000 for the chants, plus a further €15,000 for insults aimed at Napoli fans. Two sections of the ground close to the Curva Nord will also be closed for one match.
Lazio’s manager, Stefano Pioli, said after the game: “I would not have stopped the match as that only lends importance to a minority. If I had been referee I would not have stopped it. We also have players of colour and they are treated well.”
Koulibaly, however, described the chanting as “ugly” and praised the referee in a post on his Instagram account.
“I want to thank the Lazio players, but especially the referee Irrati for his courage,” he wrote. “I thank my team-mates, the public and our fans, who have been a great support against these ugly chants. I want to thank everyone for the messages of solidarity which I have received.”
