Young Nigerian Footballer Suffers Racial Abuse in Italian Serie B Match
A 20-year-old Nigerian footballer, Ebenezer Akinsanmiro, playing on loan for Sampdoria from Inter Milan, was subjected to racist abuse during a Serie B match against AS Brescia on Sunday. Home fans repeatedly chanted "monkey" at Akinsanmiro throughout the game, targeting him whenever he had possession of the ball.
The relentless abuse overwhelmed Akinsanmiro, leading him to react by mimicking a monkey in front of the Brescia fans. This prompted a yellow card from the referee, a decision widely criticized as an unfair response to the provocation of racist abuse.
The referee intervened, instructing the stadium announcer to warn the Brescia fans to cease their racist chants or face the abandonment of the match. Despite this intervention, Sampdoria's coach substituted Akinsanmiro in the 41st minute to protect him from further abuse.
The incident highlights the ongoing issue of racism in football and the need for stronger measures to protect players from such abhorrent behavior. The actions of the Brescia fans are widely condemned, and the incident is likely to spark further calls for stricter sanctions against racist conduct in professional football.