ROME: Lower-division Casale have been punished by the Italian league’s disciplinary commission after their youth team abandoned a game in protest at an alleged racist insult writes KEIR RADNEDGE.

Last week the team quit a game against Pro Patria when their black forward Fabiano Ribeiro was shown the red card after retaliating against an opponent who, he claimed, had used a term of racial abuse. The referee denied having heard anything untoward and also sent off the Casale coach and director who joined in the protests.

The walkout followed an incident early in January when Milan players quit a game against the Pro Patria seniors because of racist chants from a group of hooligan spectators.

The league commission found the allegation of racist abuse unproven so Casale have been fined €500 and punished with a 3-0 defeat and one-point youth league deduction.

Earlier this week Marcello Nicchi, president of the Italian referees’ association, had warned against ‘copycat’ protests by teams over racist abuse. He said that authority to continue or halt a match rested solely with the match officials.

** Gianluigi Buffon, Veteran Italy  goalkeeper and captain , has extended his contract with Juventus by two years through to 2015.

SPAIN: Milan Piqué Mebarak, new-born son of Barcelona star Gerard Pique and Colombian pop singer Shakira, has been enrolled as member 171,751 of the Spanish league leaders.

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