Blatter laments unsavoury incidents

12 May 2014 09:47

FIFA president Sepp Blatter has called for action from the Italian football federation (FIGC) after a banana was thrown at AC Milan defender Kevin Constant in a match at Atalanta.

Blatter also demanded a response from the Russian federation after a Zenit St Petersburg fan attacked an opposition player during a pitch invasion which caused the abandonment of their home match against Dinamo Moscow.

"Racism, and games stopped/abandoned due to acts of hooliganism. Each Federation needs to act. Sanctions are available & HAVE to be applied," Blatter said on Twitter.

Sunday's Serie A match at Atalanta saw European football tainted by racist behaviour for the third weekend running.

The incident at Atalanta comes after Barcelona's Dani Alves took a bite from a banana thrown at him and Levante's Papakouli Diop was subjected to monkey gestures.

Zenit were trailing 4-2 in their match when a fan approached Dinamo captain Vladimir Granat from behind and punched him in the head.

Source: PA