Como’s Marco Curto has been banned for 10 matches – five of them suspended – by FIFA after being found guilty of racially abusing Wolverhampton Wanderers forward Hwang Hee-chan in a pre-season friendly.
The Athletic previously reported that Wolves had lodged a complaint to the English Football Association (FA) after the 28-year-old was allegedly racially abused during a training-ground game against the Serie A side at their training camp in Spain on July 15.
Como denied accusations their player was intentionally racist towards the South Korea international and accused the Premier League club of “blowing the incident out of proportion”.
A spokesperson for world football’s governing body FIFA said: “The player (Marco Curto) was found responsible for discriminatory behaviour and sanctioned with a 10-match suspension.
“Serving of half of those matches is suspended for a probation period of two years, and the player is ordered to render community services and undergo training and education with an organisation approved by FIFA.”
Curto, 25, joined Serie B side Cesena on a season-long loan just over a week after the incident in July. He has made nine appearances for the Italian side this season.
Hwang has made eight appearances in all competitions for Wolves this season. (Simon Stacpoole/Offside/Offside via Getty Images)
Wolves said that midway through the second half of the 1-0 win, Hwang reported the incident, which sparked angry reactions from his team-mates and resulted in the dismissal of Daniel Podence.
Head coach Gary O’Neil said he spoke to Hwang and offered him the opportunity to abandon the match. However, the South Korean forward chose to continue and complete the game.
“We welcome FIFA’s decision to sanction Marco Curto following the discriminatory incident during our pre-season friendly against Como 1907,” said Matt Wild, Wolves’ director of football operations and administration. “The suspension issued to the player sends a clear message that racism and discriminatory behaviour will not be tolerated in football or society.
“This outcome highlights FIFA’s commitment to ensuring that serious actions have meaningful consequences, and we are encouraged to see the use of sporting sanctions alongside community service and education. Such measures underline the importance of both punishment and education in eradicating discriminatory behaviour from the game we all love.
“We would also like to thank the Football Association for their continued support throughout this process. The collaboration between football’s governing bodies is crucial in ensuring that incidents of this nature are dealt with effectively, and that players, staff, and supporters are all protected from discrimination.
“Wolves will always stand firmly against racism and discrimination in any form, and we remain fully committed to creating an environment where everyone feels respected and included.”
GO DEEPER
The day the conversation changed for Gary O’Neil
(Mattia Martegani/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)
