Italian defender Marco Curto has been handed a 10-match ban for racially abusing South Korean forward Hwang Hee-chan during a pre-season friendly between Como and Wolverhampton Wanderers in July. Currently on loan at Serie B club Cesena, Curto will serve half of the ban immediately, with the remaining five matches suspended for two years.
FIFA’s ruling also includes mandatory community service and training on discrimination awareness. Curto’s comments, which referred to Hwang as “Jackie Chan,” sparked outrage during the match, leading to Wolves’ Daniel Podence being dismissed after retaliating. Wolves expressed their support for FIFA’s decision, reaffirming their stance against racism and discrimination in football.
Como had earlier defended Curto, suggesting the nickname stemmed from what Wolves players were calling Hwang, though FIFA’s decision indicates otherwise. This punishment aligns with FIFA’s commitment, emphasized at the May Congress, to taking a firmer stand against racism in football.
