Sulley Muntari's one-match ban for protesting after racist abuse overturned by Italian FA
Friday 5 May 2017 21:25, UK
Sulley Muntari's one-match ban for protesting after he was racially abused during a Serie A game has been overturned by the Italian FA.
The Italian Footballers' Association lodged an appeal on Muntari's behalf on Friday after his one-match suspension was upheld by Italian football's disciplinary commission, leading to calls for all black players in Italy to go on strike in support of the former Portsmouth midfielder.
An Italian FA statement said the body spoke to referee Daniele Minelli and decided "due to the particular delicacy of the subject matter and the inherent personal rights of the man before the athlete" it had decided to grant the appeal.
The Pescara midfielder received two yellow cards from referee Daniele Minelli while playing at Cagliari for speaking to the crowd after alleging he was racially abused, and for walking off the pitch in protest.
Muntari's resulting one-match suspension would have meant him missing Pescara's home game against Crotone on Sunday.
On Monday, the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Zeid Ra'ad al-Hussein, applauded Muntari for his reaction during Cagliari's 1-0 win.
The 32-year-old, who also previously played for Sunderland in the Premier League, gave his shirt to a boy whose family were abusing him, adding: "I needed to set an example so he grows up to be nice."
