In the Saturday evening match between AC Milan and Udinese, goalkeeper Mike Maignan endured racial abuse from the home fans, leading to a five-minute halt in play. Maignan has since addressed the incident with a message posted on his Instagram account.
The incidents in the stands during today’s match have been labeled a ‘disgrace’ by newspapers, a sentiment that many would agree with. Mike Maignan initially alerted the referee to the racial abuse at the start of the first half, prompting an announcement over the stadium speakers. However, play was ultimately halted due to the continued abuse.
On his Instagram, the goalkeeper has shared a message addressing the incident and the broader issue of racism in football. He emphasized the need for action and, more importantly, consequences for those responsible, as there are numerous culprits.
“It was not the player who was attacked. It was the man. A father of the family. This isn’t the first time this has happened to me, and I’m not the first player to experience it. We have made press releases, advertising campaigns, and protocols but nothing has changed. Today, an entire system must take its responsibilities.”
“The perpetrators of these acts, enabled by the ease of acting in a group, in the anonymity of a forum. The spectators present in the stands, who witnessed and heard everything but chose to remain silent, you are complicit. The Udinese club, addressing the interruption of the match as if nothing happened, you are complicit. The authorities and the prosecutor, in the face of these events, if you take no action, YOU WILL ALSO BE COMPLICIT.
I want to emphasize, I am not a VICTIM. I express my gratitude to AC Milan, my teammates, the referee, Udinese players, and everyone who sent me messages, called me, and supported me both privately and publicly. I may not be able to respond to everyone, but I see you, and we are TOGETHER.
It’s a challenging battle, one that requires time and courage, but it’s a fight we will win,” he wrote.
Despite the adversity, Maignan made an impressive save for Milan in the second half. However, it was overshadowed as Udinese scored the 2-1 goal shortly after. Nevertheless, the Frenchman exhibited great strength by continuing to play after the incident.
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