Team Sky’s Moscon suspended over racial abuse, warned contract at risk
Kevin Reza challenges Giannia Moscon after the stage over what happened on the road. Now the Italian has been sanctioned for the incident.
Having racially abused a black rider at the Tour de Romandie on Friday, Gianni Moscon has now been suspended by Team Sky.
The young Italian has also been sent on a diversity course. And the team has formally warned him that any repeat would result in his contract being terminated.
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Team Sky came in for some criticism when it decided to keep him in the race after the abuse of Kevin Reza (FDJ).
The Frenchman could be seen in a video clip remonstrating with Moscon after the stage.
As the Team Sky riders were celebrating Elia Viviani’s stage win, they were filmed. The clip was later shared on the team’s social media accounts.
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However, in the background was Reza apparently giving Moscon a piece of his mind.
And when it later emerged he was accusing Moscon of racial abuse during the stage, the issue attracted widespread media coverage.
Team Sky insisted it was investigating the matter. It added while Moscon was being kept in the race he would be flying to the team base in the UK for a disciplinary hearing at its conclusion.
That process has now taken place and the outcome is a suspension for Moscon for six weeks.
“Following a disciplinary meeting with Team Sky.... Gianni Moscon has been given a formal written warning and suspended from racing for six weeks,” the team said.
“He will also attend a diversity awareness course. Gianni recognises that his behaviour was wrong and how seriously Team Sky take this kind of incident.
“He apologised to Kevin Reza after the stage and again to him and his team the following morning, and this apology was accepted.
“Gianni knows that there is no excuse for his behaviour and that any repeat will result in termination of his contract.”
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