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FOOTBALL

Italian footballer banned for peeing on pitch

An Italian footballer has been banned for five matches for urinating towards rival fans.

Italian footballer banned for peeing on pitch
Photo: Kryzhov/Depositphotos

He will appeal the decision, his club said on Thursday.

Giovanni Liberti, a 21-year-old midfielder who plays for Serie D side FC Turris, has denied the offence during last Sunday's game against rivals Sarnese.

Liberti allegedly urinated in the direction of the away stand and made obscene and vulgar gestures during a stop in play.

But in an angry post on Facebook, club president Antonio Colantonio blasted the decision.

Photo: AP Turris Calcio ASD/Facebook

The ill-fated match. Photo: AP Turris Calcio ASD/Facebook

“Our player has absolutely not done what is alleged,” said Colantonio in the statement from the club based in Torre del Greco, south of Naples.

It said that Liberti explained he had been drinking water from a fountain before coming onto the pitch and had simply being tucking his jersey into his shorts.

“The serious thing is that in support of the disqualification there is only the testimony of the assistant referee positioned on the opposite side of the pitch,” the statement added.

“The visiting club confirmed to us that our player did not do anything of the sort.”

RACISM

VIDEO: Spain’s La Liga reviews video of boy racially abusing Vinicius

Spain's La Liga on Monday said it was reviewing a video of a child making racist insults towards Real Madrid forward Vinicius Junior during the 2-2 draw with Valencia at the weekend.

VIDEO: Spain's La Liga reviews video of boy racially abusing Vinicius

“We’re in the process of studying and analysing the facts from a legal standpoint to see what we can and should do,” La Liga sources said.

In a video published by a journalist for ESPN Brasil, and picked up by Spanish media, a boy sitting in a woman’s lap can be heard calling Vinicius a “monkey”.

The Brazilian scored twice for Madrid as his team recovered from two goals down at Mestalla on Saturday.

Vinicius raised his fist in a “Black Power” salute after the first of his two goals at a ground where he was racially abused last season. Valencia subsequently banned three people from the stadium for life.

The 23-year-old has become a symbol of the fight against discrimination in Spanish football after suffering racist abuse on many occasions, and he was jeered repeatedly by home supporters on Saturday.

Jude Bellingham was sent off after the final whistle against Valencia for protesting after the referee blew the final whistle right before the England midfielder headed home what he thought was the winning goal.

READ ALSO: Football star Vinicius highlights racist behaviour from Spanish fans

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