Lazio distance themselves from 'isolated elements' of racism

Lazio issued a statement blaming "isolated elements" after a section of supporters displayed a banner honoring former Italian fascist leader Benito Mussolini and took part in racist chanting before Wednesday's Coppa Italia match against AC Milan.

According to the statement, translated by Reuters, the Italian club distanced itself from the behavior but accused the media of blaming its entire fan base for the actions of "a few" individuals.

Lazio takes clear distances from behaviour and events that do not reflect in any way the sporting values sustained and promoted by the club for 119 years. And it rejects and disputes the simplistic tendency of some media to consider the entire Lazio support jointly responsible for acts carried out by a few and isolated elements, for reasons foreign to any form of sporting passion.

Supporters directed racist chants at Milan's Tiemoue Bakayoko outside the San Siro prior Lazio's 1-0 victory. They continued the abuse inside the stadium where they managed to smuggle in inflatable bananas to mock the player.

A video before the encounter showed a group of Lazio fans holding up a banner that read "Honour to Benito Mussolini," while performing Nazi salutes.

Wednesday's incidents come on the heels of Milan's Serie A victory over Lazio earlier in April after which Bakayoko and Franck Kessie held up the shirt of Lazio defender Francesco Acerbi to Rossoneri fans as an apparent trophy. The pair were later fined a total of €86,000.

Racism has marred Italian football this season. Juventus teenager Moise Kean was the target of abuse from Cagliari supporters earlier this month.

Napoli defender Kalidou Koulibaly was also subjected to racist chants at the San Siro in December, with Italian officials ordering Inter to play two matches behind closed doors.