Kamara Addresses Controversial Gesture as Udinese Condemns Racist Abuse

Udinese player Hassane Kamara has clarified the controversial gesture he made during his team's 2-0 victory over Genoa, a match that also saw Udinese condemn racist abuse directed at both Kamara and teammate Keinan Davis.

The incident occurred late in the fiery Serie A encounter on Friday evening. After being substituted in the 84th minute while Udinese led 1-0, Kamara was seen making faces towards the Genoa supporters as he left the field. This provoked an angry reaction from Genoa striker Lorenzo Colombo, who subsequently received a booking.

Kamara took to Instagram to explain his actions. He stated, "Quick clarification: if on Friday I left the field sticking my tongue out at the Genoa fans, it was only because I received insults and middle fingers. It was my way, joking and without violence, of responding." He emphasized his career-long commitment to avoiding provocation, saying, "In 12 years of career, I have never provoked anyone, and I won’t start now." Kamara also highlighted the unifying spirit of football, adding, "Football is a sport that brings people together, and it must remain like that." He issued a strong warning to those who used the incident to send racist insults, cautioning that "the internet has a long memory, and this will not go unpunished." He later shared a compilation of the racist messages he received on his Instagram Stories, revealing the usernames of the perpetrators.

Following Kamara's statement and shared evidence, Udinese Calcio released its own condemnation. The club stated, "Udinese Calcio condemn the disgraceful behaviour against players Keinan Davis and Hassane Kamara, who were subjected to racist insults on their social media profiles." The statement further asserted that "Similar shameful incidents are beyond all logic of civilised society, they are unacceptable, and Udinese will always fight to combat them." Keinan Davis also re-posted Kamara's message in solidarity.

The timing of these events is notably ironic, as they transpired during the same week that Lega Serie A was promoting its ‘Keep Racism Out’ media campaign.