Bastia sanctioned for racism against Balotelli

Bastia has been sanctioned with a suspended point deduction and temporary closure of the East stand of its stadium after racist chants against Mario Balotelli. The disciplinary committee of the League made this decision on February 23, 2017.

What happened ?

The Bastia-Nice match on January 20, 2017, was marked by racist chants against the Italian striker of Ghanaian origin. Mario Balotelli accused a part of the Corsican crowd of having « made monkey noises (...) throughout the match ».

Why is this important for Bastia ?

This case had significant consequences for the Corsican club. The LFP condemned « with the utmost firmness the authors of these actions, which have no place in a football stadium ».

What comes next ?

Bastia will have to close the East stand of its stadium for three matches. The matches concerned are those against Nantes, Saint-Etienne, and Lille.

Bastia is currently 17th in Ligue 2 with 28 points, after 34 matches (5 wins, 13 draws, 16 losses) and a recent form of LWDWL. Bastia's last match was on May 9, 2026, against Le Mans, with a 0-2 defeat.