AC Milan goalkeeper Mike Maignan was the target of racist insults in Udine. The mayor of Udine proposed that the Frenchman become an honorary citizen.
The proposal did not obtain the required vote of at least three-quarters of municipal councilors, with 25 in favor and 13 against. Five spectators have since been banned for life from the Udinese stadium, while the Friuli club received a match behind closed doors, a sanction which they appealed. This umpteenth racist incident in an Italian stadium triggered a wave of support from the world of football and, beyond.