A week after the racist insults suffered by its goalkeeper on the Udinese field, AC Milan temporarily stopped its match against Bologna, in agreement with the opposing club, to reaffirm its support and its fight against “the darkness prejudices”.
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The match between AC Milan and Bologna was briefly stopped in the 16th minute, in agreement with both teams, “to maintain attention on the theme of discrimination”, explained the club in a press release [en anglais]Saturday January 27, a week after the racist insults aimed at Mike Maignan.
The two teams stopped playing in the 16th minute, in reference to the jersey number of the French goalkeeper of AC Milan. They cheered as spectators at San Siro were asked to turn on their cellphone flashlights when AC Milan called. “The stadium is transformed into a sea of light against the darkness of prejudice”the text continues, while a sentence from Martin Luther King appeared on the giant screen of San Siro: “Darkness cannot drive out darkness: only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate: only love can do that.”
During AC Milan’s previous match last Saturday in Udine, Maignan left the field in the 34th minute after spectators uttered racist insults and monkey cries aimed at him. He was imitated by his teammates, forcing the referee to stop the match. The match resumed after a five-minute interruption and was won by AC Milan 3-2.
Five spectators have since been banned for life from the Udinese stadium, while the Friuli club received a match behind closed doors, a sanction which they appealed.
