Marco Curto has been handed a five-match suspension for making racist remarks during a friendly match between Como and Wolverhampton Wanderers in July. The Como player reportedly compared Wolves’ South Korean forward, Hwang Hee-chan, to the actor Jackie Chan.
The incident led to heated tensions during the match, with Wolves winger Daniel Podence receiving a red card after striking a Como player in response to Curto’s comments.
Wolverhampton Wanderers lodged a formal complaint with UEFA, while Como initially denied any misconduct. The club claimed that Curto had referred to Hwang as Jackie Chan following Wolves players using the nickname “Channy” for their teammate.
“Our understanding is that our player did not make any derogatory comments,” Como stated at the time. “The reaction from some Wolves players escalated the situation unnecessarily.”
Wolves have expressed approval of the disciplinary action against Curto, who has since been loaned to Serie B side Cesena. “This suspension sends a strong message that racism and discriminatory behavior have no place in football or society,” commented Wolves’ sporting director, Matt Wild.
Curto, now 25, faces the possibility of his suspension being doubled if he is found guilty of a similar offense within the next two years under FIFA regulations.
