Juventus have reported that American midfielder Weston McKennie was racially abused by visiting fans during their Serie A clash with Parma.
McKennie, who played just two minutes in his side’s 2-0 win over Parma, stayed on the pitch afterwards, along with the rest of his teammates who did not play the game, to perform several training exercises, as usual.
It was at that moment, when there were hardly any Juventus fans left in the stadium and Parma’s fans had not yet been escorted out – a common practice with visiting fans – that he received the racist abuse.
“At the end of the match against Parma, Weston McKennie was the subject of discriminatory expressions of a racist nature by some people present in the away sector, while he was training on the field with his teammates who had not participated in the match,” Juve said in a statement.
“Juventus strongly condemns this episode and any form of racism and will ensure the maximum collaboration with the sports justice bodies to identify those responsible,” it added.
Parma publicly condemned the attitude of its fans: “Parma Calcio, in reference to the events that took place last night after the match at the Allianz Stadium in Turin, strongly condemns any form of racism and discrimination, both on and off the pitch.”
“Racial intolerance or any other form of abusive behaviour is never tolerable or acceptable and therefore must be addressed, challenged and condemned at all times,” the club said.
“President Kyle J. Krause, along with the entire Parma Calcio team, is fully committed to fostering a culture based on core values such as respect, inclusion and equality,” Parma’s statement concluded.
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