Sampdoria president Massimo Ferrero has been suspended for three months for a discriminatory comment aimed at the Inter Milan Indonesian President Erick Thohir.

The Italian Football Federation (FIGC) announced the sanction yesterday (15 December), adding that Ferrero was also fined €10,000 and the Serie A club €35,000 over the incident.

On 26 October, during an interview with RAI, when asked about Massimo Moratti's decision to resign as the honorary president of Inter, Ferrero, in reference to Erick Thohir, replied: "It's not right that Moratti was treated like this. I am very sad for him. I told him: kick out that Filipino...".

The Sampdoria President later apologised for the remark to Thohir and the people of the Philippines, saying he was merely trying to praise Moratti.

FIGC statement
The FIGC statement read: "The National Federal Court chaired by Sergio Artico has dealt Sampdoria president Massimo Ferrero a three-month ban and €10,000 fine for insulting statements about the president of Inter, Erick Thohir, made on October 26,

"The club has been penalised with a fine of €35,000."

"In statements made specifically by Ferrero, the term 'Filipino' is not only racist in nature but also refers to the social roles that workers of that nationality may occupy.

"It is not credible that Ferrero, the president of a Serie A club, did not know the true nationality of Thohir."

Ferrero ironises
In response to the ban and fines, the Sampdoria President tweeted a picture of himself this morning with a length of duct tape stuck across his mouth, reading: "Good morning. I thank the sports justice with all my heart for having committed a baseless mistake by sanctioning me with a ban and a fine."

The ruling of FIGC comes months after the Federation's President Carlo Tavecchio was sanctioned by UEFA and FIFA with a six month ban. The sanction followed controversial remarks made by Tavecchio during his election campaign in which he suggested Italy should replicate other country’s stringent requirements for non-EU players.

Giorno! Ringrazio di❤️i Giudici sportivi x aver commesso un basato sul nulla,dandomi 3 mesi +multa pic.twitter.com/rw2WT7V8YL

— Massimo Ferrero (@unavitadacinema) December 16, 2014