In a shocking incident of racial abuse, Lazio winger Loum Tchaouna was forced to leave the pitch in the closing moments of his team’s Europa League match against Twente in the Netherlands on Thursday. The 21-year-old French Under-21 international, who had been subjected to monkey noises from a section of the crowd, left visibly distressed after relaying his experience to the referee and the Lazio bench.
With Lazio leading 2-0, Tchaouna’s frustration and pain became evident as he demonstrated to officials the abuse he had endured. Initially, Lazio coach Marco Baroni planned to substitute Spanish forward Pedro. However, Baroni decided to withdraw Tchaouna in the 89th minute after recognizing the player’s emotional distress.
“The howling at Tchaouna? Unfortunately, I confirm that the player perceived this,” Baroni told Sky Sport Italia. “We tried to calm him down, but it was clear he was not in the emotional condition to continue. I believe the fourth official saw what happened.”
The incident has once again placed a spotlight on racial abuse in football stadiums across Europe. Uefa, European football’s governing body, has been approached by media outlets for comments and potential action regarding Thursday’s events.
This latest episode follows a recent string of sanctions against clubs for fan misconduct, with Lazio themselves fined £36,660 (€45,000) for similar incidents during their 4-1 victory over Nice in Rome on October 3. The Serie A club is also required to close two sections of their home stadium, Stadio Olimpico, for their upcoming Europa League match. Uefa has been consistent in imposing penalties, but the frequency of these incidents has raised questions about the effectiveness of the measures.
As football continues its fight against discrimination, players, coaches, and fans alike are calling for more robust and preventive actions to foster a respectful and inclusive environment in stadiums across Europe.
