Naples: Kalidou Koulibaly’s appeal rejected

Kalidou Koulibaly will serve his two-match suspension, the Italian Football Federation (FIGC) confirmed, despite Napoli’s appeal to have it overturned. The Senegalese defender had been sent off during Napoli’s 26 December clash against Inter Milan after receiving two yellow cards. During the same match, Koulibaly was subjected to racist abuse from some spectators.

Napoli’s leadership reacted strongly to the decision, expressing frustration over what they see as a missed opportunity to combat racism in football. “This is a serious defeat for football. We missed a great opportunity to fight racism,” said Napoli spokesperson Nicola Lombardo. He added, “A fight led by UEFA and supported by Napoli for many years has been humiliated. But this defeat also lies with all those who wrongly claim that there is no racism in stadiums, and that racist chants directed at Black people, Neapolitans, and Jews only involve a small handful of individuals.”

The decision to uphold the suspension has reignited the debate over racism in Italian football. While Koulibaly will now sit out Napoli’s next two matches, the club and its supporters continue to call for stronger measures to protect players from abuse and ensure that stadiums remain safe and inclusive environments.