Verona fan banned five-year for racially abusing Balotelli

A fan who racially abused Mario Balotelli has been banned from attending football matches for five years.

The punishment handed down to the 38-year-old applies to all stadiums across Europe.

Italian news agency ANSA reported on Thursday that Verona police had identified a fan racially abusing Balotelli during Brescia’s game at Hellas in November.

The home team were initially hit with a one-game partial closure of the Stadio Marc’Antonio Bentegodi as a result of the incident.

And the man identified will also be barred from entering fan zones around the ground before matches.

The sorry episode helped fuel a racism crisis that has dominated Italian football for months.

Balotelli stopped playing and launched the ball into the crowd while receiving abuse in one corner of the stadium during the second-half.

After the game was suspended and a statement read out by the public announcer, the striker had to be convinced by teammates not to walk off the pitch.

Echoing the sentiments of the mayor of Verona, who denied the racism occurred, they claimed that the “arrogance that [Balotelli] continually gives off is unjustifiable”.

A tough period in the Brescia team also ensued and the former Manchester City player seemed to put that behind him with a goal against Lazio on Sunday.

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However that match was also marred by racism with the opposition fined just £17,000 after being called out by Balotelli during his goal celebration.