Milan Goalkeeper Mike Maignan Walks Off Pitch After Alleged Racial Abuse in Serie A Match at Udinese
The first half of Milan’s Serie A match against Udinese on Saturday was marred by alleged racist chants targeted at Milan goalkeeper Mike Maignan by Udinese fans. Maignan, deeply affected by the incident, immediately addressed referee Fabio Maresca before leaving the pitch with his teammates. The match was subsequently suspended for 10 minutes, with Milan leading 1-0 at the time.
Following the incident, Milan released a statement showing their unwavering support for their goalkeeper: There is absolutely no place in our game for racism: we are appalled. We are with you, Mike.
Speaking to Milan TV after the match, Maignan shed light on the distressing incident, revealing that he had heard monkey noises from the crowd. Expressing his frustration, he stated, This shouldn’t exist in the world of football but, unfortunately, for many years this is a recurrence. We all have to react, we must do something because you can’t play like this. Okay, we accept the boos because that’s how it is away from home, but this issue of racism must not reach this level.
This is not the first time Maignan has faced racial abuse during a match. In a previous away game against Cagliari last season, both Maignan and defender Fikayo Tomori were subjected to abuse, resulting in a confrontation between the players of both teams. However, Milan managed to turn the tide to their favor with a stoppage-time goal from Noah Okafor, securing a victory against Udinese.
Following the incident, messages of support poured in for Maignan from across the footballing community. Fellow France national team player and Paris Saint-Germain star Kylian Mbappe tweeted, You are very far from being alone Mike Maignan. We are all with you. Still the same problems and still NO solution. Enough is enough. Similarly, US Men’s National Team internationals Christian Pulisic, Yunus Musah, and Tim Weah showed support on their Instagram stories. Pulisic and Musah are teammates of Maignan’s at Milan, while Weah represents their Scudetto rival, Juventus.
Serie A itself condemned all forms of racism and discrimination. Additionally, another incident of racial abuse occurred on Saturday during the match between Coventry City and Sheffield Wednesday, prompting FIFA President Gianni Infantino to issue a statement. Infantino emphasized, There is no place for racism or any form of discrimination – both in football and in society. The players affected by Saturday’s events have my undivided support. He called for action and education to address the issue, suggesting the implementation of an automatic forfeit as a response to the repeated stoppage of matches due to racism.
As the football world grapples with recurring incidents of racial abuse, it remains to be seen how investigations will unfold and what consequences alleged abusers will face. Authorities must take swift action, ensuring that individuals responsible for such abhorrent behavior are held accountable. Ultimately, football should be a platform that unites people from diverse backgrounds, celebrating the sport’s beauty rather than tarnishing it with bigotry and discrimination.
