A player who racially abused Wolves forward Hwang Hee-chan in a preseason friendly has been handed a ten-match ban by Fifa, with five of those matches suspended for two years. Marco Curto, formerly of Como and now on loan to Italian second-tier side Cesena, was found guilty of abusing Hwang during a friendly match in Marbella in July.
A spokesperson for football’s global governing body stated, “The player Marco Curto was found responsible for discriminatory behaviour and sanctioned with a 10-match suspension. Serving half of those matches is suspended for a probation period of two years, and the player is ordered to render community services and undergo training and education with an organisation approved by Fifa.”
The South Korean player’s national football association raised “serious concerns” about the incident to Fifa back in July. Wolves are reported to be supportive of the decision and are expected to release a formal statement in due course.
Como had initially downplayed the incident, with Mirwan Suwarso, a spokesperson for the Italian club’s owners, explaining that Curto had reportedly said to a fellow defender, “ignore (Hwang), he thinks he’s Jackie Chan.” Suwarso affirmed, “Having spoken to our player at length, we are confident this was in reference to the player’s name and the constant references of ‘Channy’ made by his own teammates on the pitch. As far as our club is concerned, our player did not say anything in a derogatory manner.”
Furthermore, Suwarso expressed disappointment that certain Wolves players’ reactions had exacerbated the incident, claiming it had been blown out of proportion.
The ban imposed on Marco Curto highlights the ongoing efforts to combat racism in football, with governing bodies such as Fifa taking decisive action against discriminatory behaviour on the pitch.