Yaya Toure says racism issue in football is down to fans being 'more stupid than before'

A series of racist incidents have tainted European football recently with Inter Milan’s Romelu Lukaku and Brescia’s Mario Balotelli subjected to racist insults from rival fans during Serie A matches in Italy this season.

Reuters December 20, 2019 11:34:53 IST
Yaya Toure says racism issue in football is down to fans being 'more stupid than before'
  • Yaya Toure says he has discussed the growing problem of racism in football with the sport’s world governing body FIFA

  • A series of racist incidents have tainted European football recently with Inter Milan’s Romelu Lukaku and Brescia’s Mario Balotelli subjected to racist insults from rival fans

  • Italian sports daily Corriere dello Sport used the headline Black Friday along with pictures of Lukaku and AS Roma’s Chris Smalling to preview a game

Former Ivory Coast international Yaya Toure says he has discussed the growing problem of racism in football with the sport’s world governing body FIFA and blamed the issue on fans being “more stupid than before”.

A series of racist incidents have tainted European football recently with Inter Milan’s Romelu Lukaku and Brescia’s Mario Balotelli subjected to racist insults from rival fans during Serie A matches in Italy this season.

Yaya Toure says racism issue in football is down to fans being more stupid than before

File image of Yaya Toure. AFP

Italian sports daily Corriere dello Sport used the headline ‘Black Friday’ along with pictures of Lukaku and AS Roma’s Chris Smalling to preview a game, while Serie A chief Luigi De Siervo apologised for artwork featuring apes in its anti-racism campaign.

“Fans, people, now are more stupid than before. Of course it’s shocking because we’re in 2019,” Toure told reporters in Doha, where he is attending the Club World Cup.

“I’ve had a chat with FIFA because this is very important.

“It will be difficult because the way to win this case is going to be long.”

Updated Date:

also read

Luton Town complete fairytale rise to Premier League after beating Coventry on penalties
Football

Luton Town complete fairytale rise to Premier League after beating Coventry on penalties

Luton completed a fairytale journey to the Premier League after beating Coventry on penalties in the Championship playoff final at Wembley.

Vinicius has red card overturned after suffering racial abuse; Valencia stand closed, club fined
Football

Vinicius has red card overturned after suffering racial abuse; Valencia stand closed, club fined

Spanish football's competition committee rescinded the red card shown to Vinicius Jr during Valencia vs Real Madrid - a game that witnessed racist insults.

Vinicius Jr. and the racist abuse in Spanish football: Everything that has happened so far
Football

Vinicius Jr. and the racist abuse in Spanish football: Everything that has happened so far

Vinicius Jr was racially abused by Valencia fans on the weekend which has been condemned from footballing world and political figures in Brazil and Spain.