Cagliari President Tommaso Giulini apologized to Pescara midfielder Sulley Muntari and condemned racist abuse from fans.
The incident caused huge controversy, as not only was Muntari booked for complaining to the referee about the racist insults, his yellow card was not rescinded and Cagliari escaped punishment because it was “only around 10 people” making the chants.
“I am sorry for Sulley, it must be horrible to feel insulted like that. I can only condemn what happened,” said President Giulini.
“Sulley and Pescara know full well that Cagliari is not a racist city and I thank their President Daniele Sebastiani for his comments.”
Giulini also released an open letter via the club website listing all the initiatives Cagliari had taken in recent years to combat racism, including the fact last season they won the Respect – Fair Play award for having the best fans in Serie B.
“I think it unfair to target referee Daniele Minelli. I believe that he, like all of us in the stadium including the additional referee who was standing just a few metres away from the stands, didn’t hear any racist insults towards Muntari and therefore let play continue.
“Because of all the reasons listed, racism is extraneous and odious to our way of life, our culture and my personal journey. I can guarantee that Cagliari Calcio will remain on alert to nip in the bud any degeneration of the fan experience, even if it derives from very few individuals, as happened on Sunday.
“This should never happen again, but do not destroy all the hard work we’ve done with dedication and effort.”
