'Black and proud': AC Milan's Mike Maignan speaks out as Juventus probe racist abuse

AC Milan goalkeeper Mike Maignan on Tuesday blasted those who racially abused him before his team’s 1-1 draw at Juventus at the weekend and the football authorities’ attempts at tackling the problem, saying that he was “black and proud”. Juventus confirmed to AFP that they had launched an investigation into the abuse, caught on a video which spread quickly on social media. It showed an off-camera fan launch a stream of racist insults at the France international while he warmed up ahead of Sunday’s match at Juve’s Allianz Stadium. In an Instagram post, the 26-year-old Maignan said that “as long as these events are treated as ‘isolated incidents’ and no comprehensive action is taken, history is bound to repeat itself over and over and over again”.

“Do the people who make decisions know what it feels like to hear insults and chants reducing us to animals? Do they know what it does to our families, to our loved ones who see it and who do not understand why it’s still happening in 2021?” he continued. “I am not a ‘victim’ of racism. I’m Mike, upright, black and proud.” A Juve spokeswoman told AFP that they were working to identify the person who insulted Maignan. Italian media report that the Italian Football Federation (FIGC) is also considering opening its own investigation into the incident. This is the second incident of racism in a Serie A stadium since football grounds were re-opened to the public at 50 percent capacity at the start of this season. On Friday the FIGC opened an investigation into alleged racist chants by Lazio fans towards Milan midfielder Tiemoue Bakayoko earlier this month.