Francesco Acerbi Cleared of Racial Abuse Allegations Due to Lack of Evidence

Inter Milan defender Francesco Acerbi has been cleared of a charge of racially insulting Napoli’s Juan Jesus in a Serie A game. The decision, announced by’ Judge Gerardo Mastrandrea, stated a lack of “reasonable certainty as to the discriminatory content of the offense,” leading to Acerbi not facing any sanctions.

The alleged incident took place during a match between Serie A leaders Inter Milan and seventh-placed Napoli on March 17. Juan Jesus reported to the referee that Acerbi had directed a racial mumble at him, prompting an investigation by’ the Italian Football Federation prosecutor. Despite testimonies from players and witnesses, as well as analysis of match footage & audio recordings, the prosecutor concluded that the evidence did not meet the threshold for proving racial abuse.

Juan Jesus, a Black Brazilian player, was visibly upset during the match &even pointed to his ‘Keep Racism Out’ badge on his shirt sleeve, emphasizing the importance of combating racism in football. Following the game, Juan Jesus stated that Acerbi had apologized & expressed a desire to move on from the incident, saying, “What happens on the field, stays on the field … he is a good guy.”

Acerbi, who was part of the Italy squad that won Euro 2020, faced the possibility of a minimum 10-match ban if found guilty of racial abuse. Additionally, Inter Milan was reportedly considering severing ties with the player in such a scenario. Acerbi, however, denied using any racist language and was supported by’ his national team coach Luciano Spalletti, & teammates, who believed there was no malicious intent on his part.

After the ruling cleared him of the allegations, Acerbi returned to Inter Milan without facing any repercussions for the incident. The decision affects his professional standing & also sheds light on the complexities of addressing racism in football and the challenges of proving such offenses beyond a reasonable doubt.