Pisa player Michele Marconi has been handed a 10-match ban for racially abusing Chievo Verona’s Nigerian midfielder Joel Obi during a Serie B match in December 2020.

The Italian Football Federation (FIGC) announced the punishment on Thursday after the case was heard at the FIGC appeal court.

Marconi “addressed racist insults to Chievo midfielder Joel Obi during the Pisa-Chievo game on Dec.22,” read a FIGC statement.

Chievo said in a statement after the match, which ended in a 2-2 draw in Pisa, that Obi was “the object of an infamous and disgraceful phrase that has nothing to do with the most basic values of sport, ethics and respect.”

They said that Marconi used the phrase “the slave revolt” towards former Inter Milan and Torino midfielder Obi.

Pisa said at the time that the club “distanced itself” from Chievo’s statement, adding the alleged insult was not detected by match officials or the microphones around the pitch.

“Moreover, our player confirmed that he had not addressed any insults to the opposing player, let alone racially motivated ones,” it added.