Infantino and Lazio condemns racist abuse of Umtiti and Banda

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2-1 at Stadio Via del Mare on Wednesday but this game was overshadowed by a section of Lazio fans in the away end aiming racist abuse towards

and Banda.

The referee stopped the match for several minutes and home supporters chanted Umtiti's name in solidarity. The Barcelona loanee asked for the match to resume but he left the pitch in tears at full-time.

FIFA president Gianni Infantino has supported Umtiti and Banda and called on football fans to “to shut up all the racists once and for all”.

"Solidarity with Samuel Umtiti and Lameck Banda – let's shout it loud and clear: No to racism,"

he wrote alongside photos of Umtiti and Banda in action.

"May the huge majority of fans, who are good people, stand up and shut up all the racists once and for all.”

Lazio also released a statement to condemn the group of fans responsible for the incident.

“The referee was forced to suspend the game Lecce-Lazio due to racist abuse of a player of the home team,”

the club said.

“Lazio have always used all the tools available against every form of racism and discrimination, putting in place initiatives to repress these incidents, raising awareness of this issue and acting in the offices responsible for protecting their image.

“Even today, the club condemns those responsible for this deplorable, shameful and anachronistic gesture and will always offer the greatest cooperation to the authorities to identify them.

“Lazio fans are not racist and cannot be associated with a few individuals who seriously harm the club’s image.”

The likes of Jerome Boateng, Naby Sarr, and Alexandre Lacazette have supported the French defender on social media. Umtiti himself shared FIFA’s statement on his Instagram page and wrote that football is

"pleasure and joy, the rest doesn’t count."

Umtiti joined Lecce on loan last summer and is expected to return to Barcelona at the end of the season.

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