Juventus condemns racist abuse of US midfielder Weston McKennie after season-opening win in Italy

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TURIN, Italy (AP) — U.S. midfielder Weston McKennie was subjected to racist abuse after Juventus completed a 2-0 season-opening win over Parma in Serie A, the Italian club said Sunday.

Juventus posted a statement on social media saying McKennie was the target of “discrimatory racist remarks by individuals in the away section" while he was warming down with teammates on the pitch.

“Juventus strongly condemns this incident and any form of racism, and will ensure full cooperation with the sporting justice authorities to identify those responsible," Juventus said in the statement.

McKennie, who joined Juventus in 2020, went on as a late substitute in the match in Turin, where Canada forward Jonathan David scored in his Serie A debut for Juventus.

Parma also released a statement on Monday.

“Parma Calcio, in reference to the events that occurred last night after the match at the Allianz Stadium in Turin, firmly condemns all forms of racism and discrimination, both on and off the pitch,” it said.

“Racial intolerance, or any other type of abusive behaviour, is NEVER tolerated or acceptable and must therefore be addressed, fought, and condemned at all times."

In 2023, Fiorentina was hit with a suspended partial stadium ban after fans directed racist and discriminatory chants at McKennie and other Juventus players.

Sunday's incident is the latest in a series of racism allegations in European soccer.

FIFA President Gianni Infantino last week described two incidents of alleged racist abuse which marred German Cup games as “unacceptable.”

Infantino’s comments were in the wake of allegations Schalke's Christopher Antwi-Adjei was subjected to racist abuse in a cup game at Lokomotive Leipzig and a Kaiserslautern substitute was racially abused while warming up in a game at RSV Eintracht.

British police arrested a man on suspicion of racially abusing Bournemouth forward Antoine Semenyo during a Premier League game on Aug. 16.

The man was arrested on suspicion of a racially aggravated public order offense after Semenyo, who is Black, reported to the referee that he was racially abused by a spectator in the first half of Bournemouth’s match against Liverpool at Anfield.

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