Four more fans given stadium bans after Maignan racially abused

ROME : Italian authorities have identified four more people suspected of shouting racist abuse at AC Milan goalkeeper Mike Maignan and they will be banned from stadiums for five years, police said in a statement on Wednesday.

The game between Udinese and Milan on Saturday was halted briefly after Maignan alerted the referee about the chanting directed at him.

A man from the city of Udine, and a woman and two other men from the local area were picked out after an analysis of video footage from the Bluenergy stadium, local police said in a statement. Their details have been passed on to prosecutors.

The five-year ban is the maximum that can be given to first-time offenders.

Another suspect was identified and given a stadium ban earlier this week and Udinese said they would seek to impose a lifetime ban on offenders.

The club itself has been ordered to play one match behind closed doors after the latest episode of racism to blight Italian soccer.

(Writing by Keith Weir; Editing by Christian Radnedge)