the suspension of Romelu Lukaku lifted by the Italian Football Federation after his expulsion in Turin

Inter Milan’s Belgian striker Romelu Lukaku will not serve the suspension match imposed on him following his exclusion in the Italian Cup semi-final first leg against Juventus (1- 1). Target of racist insults from Turin supporters, he celebrated his equalizer with a finger on his mouth, and then received a second yellow card. The president of the Italian Football Federation (FIGC), Gabriele Gravina, “give grace in an extraordinary and exceptional way” to the player, announced the Federation in a press release, Saturday April 22. He can therefore be aligned for the return match on Wednesday.

To justify the cancellation of this suspension, Gabriele Gravina stresses in particular that “the principle of the fight against all forms of racism constitutes one of the founding principles of the sporting order”. He recalls that Lukaku “has been the object, on several occasions, of manifestations of serious, repeated and despicable hatred and racial discrimination, at a level allowing to justify formally non-regulatory behavior”.

The Belgian striker immediately expressed his satisfaction: “I am really happy with this decision by the FIGC president who shows great sensitivity”he reacted in a brief press release published on the Inter website. “It has been shown that there was a will to fight racism”he added.