Jay-Z’s Roc Nation is demanding Italy crack down on racism in soccer after Inter Milan’s Romelu Lukaku was subjected to racial abuse by fans making monkey noises during the game against Juventus F.C. on Tuesday.
Fans behind the goal taunted the Belgian striker by making racist monkey noises as he prepared to take a stoppage-time penalty. After scoring, Lukaku held his finger up to his mouth in front of Juventus fans. However, the ref deemed the gesture provocative and issued a second yellow before sending him off.
After demanding an apology, Lukaku’s management agency took out a full-page ad in the Italian sports newspaper La Gazzetta dello Sport.
“Dear Italy, Do better. Want better. Be better,” the ad reads, as reported by TMZ.
“In professional [soccer], Black players have been subjected to hatred during professional [soccer] games. The hatred has displayed itself in the form of monkey chants, racial slurs and banana peels tossed at the best players in the world, as the world watches, as the children watch, as the players’ families watch.”
“No one has faced any consequences for this heinous behavior. Nothing has changed. No action has been taken.”
Roc Nation also shared a video on social media highlighting the lack of progress. As well as Tuesday’s racist abuse, the clip shows fans hurling similar racist taunts at Lukaku during a 2019 game.
#EnoughIsEnough pic.twitter.com/y91iZ7r36E
— Roc Nation (@RocNation) April 5, 2023
“There is no circumstance where racism is tolerated. Italy is better than this. We are all better than this,” the Roc Nation letter continued.
“We call on the worldwide community of sports – players, team owners, artists, brands and all fans – to denounce this racist behavior and hold bigots accountable to a human standard. One which upholds decency, respect and compassion for others.”
Roc Nation Urges Juventus To Apologize To Romelu Lukaku
President of Roc Nation Sports International, Michael Yormark, released a formal statement after Tuesday’s game.
He called the unacceptable racist remarks “beyond despicable.” He also demanded an apology from Juventus and called on the league to condemn the fans’ actions.
“Tonight’s racist remarks made towards Romelu Lukaku by Juventus fans in Turin were beyond despicable and cannot be accepted.
“Romelu deserves an apology from Juventus, and I expect the League to condemn the behaviour of this group of Juventus supporters immediately,” he stated. “The Italian authorities must use this opportunity to tackle racism, rather than punish the victim of the abuse.”
Read his statement in full below.
A statement from the President of Roc Nation Sports International, Michael Yormark on tonight’s incident involving Romelu Lukaku pic.twitter.com/VSrNOupwdh
— Roc Nation Sports International (@RocNationSI) April 4, 2023