Balotelli teammate Plea backs racism claim

Mario Balotelli's teammate, Alassane Plea, heard Bastia supporters racially abusing the Nice striker with monkey chants during Friday night's Ligue 1 match.

On Saturday, Nice striker Balotelli described the abuse during the 1-1 draw at the 20,000-capacity Armand Cesari stadium in Corsica, complaining that the French league had not acted swiftly.

Plea, who is Italian Balotelli's strike partner, told French football show Telefoot on Sunday that he heard the abuse.

"Yes, I can confirm it. We heard it during the warm-up (and) during the game as well, monkey chants," Frenchman Plea said on Telefoot.

"At the end of the game he (Balotelli) was very, very upset. They insulted him the whole game. It's dreadful to hear these things on a football pitch."

Broadcaster BeIn Sport has released footage which clearly shows a handful of Bastia fans in one section of the stadium racially abusing Balotelli.

The footage shows one man standing up and making loud monkey noises while Balotelli was jogging during his warm-up.

The French league (LFP) said on Saturday night that it had viewed this footage.

It has opened an investigation, starting with its disciplinary committee meeting on Thursday with more information to come from officials and both clubs.

Early on Saturday, Balotelli wrote about the abuse he suffered on his Instagram and Twitter pages.

"Is it normal that Bastia supporters make monkey noise (and) 'uh' 'uh' for the whole game and no one of the 'commissions discipline' say nothing?" Balotelli wrote, referencing the LFP's disciplinary committee.

"So is racism legal in France? Or only in Bastia? Football is an amazing sport. Those people like Bastia supporters make it horrible!"

Balotelli, 26, the son of Ghanaian immigrants to Italy, concluded his post by writing in French that what happened was "une vrai honte," or a total disgrace.