Cagliari hit with fine for racist chants

Cagliari were on Tuesday hit with a 25,000-euro fine by Italian sporting authorities after their fans racially abused Inter Milan’s Cameroon striker Samuel Eto’o on Sunday.

Referee Paolo Tagliavento briefly stopped the game just three minutes in after Eto’o was jeered by home fans.

A stadium announcement reminded fans that the game would be abandoned if they continued before the match was restarted after a mere three minute break.

Following the match, won 1-0 by Inter thanks to Eto’o’s strike, Cagliari coach Pierpaolo Bisoli suggested it was a misunderstanding over the nature of the ‘boos’.

“Honestly I wasn’t aware of anything, I’ve been asked a lot about it but what happened?” he asked.

“I wouldn’t want normal jeers which are generally aimed at opponents to be confused with racist insults.

“I know the Sardinian fans and how civilised they are, I’ve never heard this sort of thing from Cagliari fans.”