Bastia fans admits Mario Balotelli's racial abuse

“Several” Bastia fans racially abused Nice
forward Mario Balotelli with monkey chants
while one admitted it and faces a France-
wide stadium ban, the Corsican club said on
Wednesday.
The Italian said he suffered racist abuse
throughout Friday’s 1-1 Ligue 1 draw at
Bastia, where the coach of title-chasers Nice
was also pelted with stones.
“So is racism legal in France? Or only in
Bastia? Football is an amazing sport… those
people like Bastia supporters make it
horrible! A real shame,” an angry Balotelli
wrote on Instagram in the aftermath.
The local public prosecutor’s office
confirmed it had launched a preliminary
investigation for “incitement of racial
hatred”.
The French league is also looking into the
allegations and Bastia said a long-time
supporter of the club had owned up after
Corsican media published images to find
those behind the racial abuse.
Bastia said it had cancelled the fan’s season
ticket and banned him from entering their
stadium. They also said a legal case for a
nationwide stadium ban had been launched.
The man, whose name was not released,
“regretted his attitude and was conscious of
the repercussions”, a Bastia statement said.
“Several individuals made monkey noises
towards Balotelli,” Bastia said, denouncing it
as “stupid and unacceptable behaviour”.