<p>The Italian Football Federation (FIGC) said on Tuesday that it has begun an inquiry into claims that Francesco Acerbi, the defender for Inter Milan, had uttered racist remarks.</p>
<p><img decoding=”async” class=”alignnone wp-image-529415″ src=”https://www.theindiaprint.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/theindiaprint.com-figc-will-look-into-claims-that-francesco-acerbi-made-racist-remarks-against-juan-.jpg” alt=”theindiaprint.com figc will look into claims that francesco acerbi made racist remarks against juan” width=”1013″ height=”760″ title=”FIGC will look into claims that Francesco Acerbi made racist remarks against Juan Jesus 6″></p>
<p>The FIGC released a statement saying, “After reviewing the referee’s report, the sports judge considers it necessary for the federation’s public prosecutor to look into what happened between Juan Jesus of Napoli and Francesco Acerbi of Inter Milan in relation to any expressions of racial discrimination made by the latter.”</p>
<p>After Napoli’s 1-1 tie with Inter Milan on Sunday, Jesus first downplayed the incident, telling DAZN that “what happens on the pitch, stays on the pitch” and acknowledging Acerbi’s on-field apologies for an unidentified slur.</p>
<p>Pointing to the Keep Racism Out symbol on his jersey and ostensibly stating that “(Acerbi) called me a negro,” Brazilian Jesus had been spotted protesting to match referee Federico La Penna as he headed home Napoli’s late equalizer at the San Siro.</p>
<p>Acerbi was forced to leave Italy’s training camp on Monday due to the incident.</p>
<p>Gianluca Mancini of Roma, a center defender, earned his spot in the 28-man roster chosen ahead of Italy’s European Championship defense against Venezuela and Ecuador.</p>
<p>Acerbi had said that he had “no intention of being defamatory, denigrating, or racist,” according to the Italian FA.</p>
<p>Acerbi, 36, told reporters he had said “nothing racist” when he returned to Milan.</p>
<p>“I thought that the incident was done with on the pitch and frankly, I was hoping not to have to come back to something so despicable,” Jesus said on Instagram in response to that.</p>
<p>Jesus said, “However, I read Acerbi’s remarks today, which are totally at odds with what actually happened, with what he himself stated on the field and which is supported by video footage of him pleading with me for forgiveness.”</p>
<p>“I refuse to put up with it; racism will be combated right here, right now. “Get lost, black, you’re just a negro,” Acerbi told me. He has now changed his position and said that racism does not exist.</p>
<p>A 10-match ban that might terminate Acerbi’s Inter season and prevent him from competing in the June 14–15 Euros is a possibility.</p>
