JUVE FANS AND RACISM

Soccer: Juve in Balotelli ban

Next match behind closed doors after racist chants

(ANSA) - Milan, April 20 - Juventus has been handed a one-match stadium ban because of racist chants directed at Inter Milan's Mario Balotelli during Saturday's 1-1 draw. The ban means Juve will play its next Serie A home match, against Lecce on May 3, behind closed doors Soccer's sporting judge Gianpaolo Tosel issued the ban after finding that the jeering against the Italian-born player of Ghanaian descent ''came from various parts of the ground'' and officials did not make any apparent move to stop it. Juve has apologised for the incident, which has been widely condemned. Saturday's was not the first Serie A game in which Italy hopeful Balotelli, who scored Inter's goal to virtually seal its scudetto hopes, has been subjected to racist booing. photo: Balotelli after scoring opening goal