Castroman and Simeone celebrate the 2-2 draw (GraziaNeri/Allsport)

It was a night of drama. Nine times out of ten, Lucas Castroman's shot in the dying moments of the Roman derby would have sailed over the bar. This was, however, that tenth occasion. Within seconds of leaving the Argentine midfielder's foot, the ball was nestling behind Francesco Antonioli in the Roma goal.

Lazio had managed to do the unthinkable. In the space of a few minutes they had clawed back Roma's two goal lead to deny the Italian league leaders the victory which would have practically sealed the title.

Reason enough for them to be happy. Or so you would think.

Unfortunately, the Lazio fans had other opinions. No sooner had the final whistle been blown then they took to the streets looking for fights with the hard core element of the Roma support. In the end, various cars were torched, a number of policemen ended up in hospital whilst two journalists from the Italian national television station RAI were viciously attacked, simply because they were filming the proceedings.

And so, what had been a glorious night of football turned into another night of violence. Something which this season has been all too common in Italy.

Right wing movements have found fertile ground among the impressionable young supporters, and the Ultras - the name given to the most fervent supporters' clubs - often double up as recruitment agencies for these organisations. Swastikas and other extremist symbols often decorate their banners. Fighting with opposition fans and creating havoc during away games is glorified. And racist slogans are the order of the day.

None more so than at Lazio, possibly the most xenophobic club in Italy. A year ago, a banner with the legend 'Onore Alla Tigre Arkan' (Honour to Tiger Arkan) resulted in widespread condemnation. 'Tiger' Arkan was a general in the Serbian army accused by the United Nations of genocide during the Balkan wars. He was also a hero to these Lazio fans. The banner was their way of honouring Arkan, who had been killed during the previous week.

	Lazio fans prepare a special reception (RossKinnaird/Allsport)

The Italian FA's reply to this outrage was half-hearted. Lazio were given a slap on the wrist and warned not to repeat the offence, whilst the following weekend all players wore shirts with anti-racist slogans before matches. The effect, if there was any, was minimal.

Racism has long been a problem in Italian football. When, in 1990, Udinese were about to sign the Israeli striker Ronnie Rosenthal from Standard Liege, there were massive protests from the club's right wing supporters. Anti-Jewish slogans were painted all over the stadium's walls. In the end, the club gave in and Rosenthal ended up at Liverpool.

During his time in Italy, the Derby defender Taribo West was often subject to the chant of 'Taribo bucca le banane' - 'Taribo eat the bananas'. Fabio Liverani, Perugia's dark skinned midfielder, has been the target of racial abuse all over the country, despite the fact that he is Italian and has played for the national team. When England played Italy earlier this year, Emile Heskey was booed every time he touched the ball.

Yet the Italian FA have failed to take any substantive measures to tackle this problem. As in Britain during the mid-eighties, the establishment seems to be too lethargic to take decisive action. This was exemplified by the way in which the Italian FA tackled the most recent outburst of racism.

Prior to the Roma - Lazio derby, the Lazio fans organised a choreography of blue and white placards which spelt out the word 'merda' (shit). Even worse were banners with phrases like 'squadra di negri' - team of blacks - and 'curva d'ebrei' - bunch of Jews. During the match, Roma's black players Aldair, Cafu and Jonathan Zebina were constantly subjected to monkey chants every time they touched the ball.

Such behaviour required an exemplary punishment, something that would make the clubs stand up and take notice. Instead, the Italian FA came up with a one-match ban of Lazio's home ground and a fine of around £19,300.

Admittedly the stadium ban will hit the club's finances. However, the fact that this will only be for one game softens the blow considerably. Compare the punishment handed out to Napoli - their ground was suspended for two matches after missile-throwing incidents - and you get the feeling that Lazio have been let of slightly.

That feeling is compounded by a fine that, for a club of Lazio's financial stature, amounts to spare change. It is further ridiculed by the fact that Roma were also fined approximately £6,400 - a third of Lazio's fine - because their fans threw plastic bottles onto the pitch. In short, nothing which will really force the clubs to actively try and stamp out racism.

Typically, these same clubs fail to understand, or at least publicly admit, that there is a problem. Sergio Cragnotti, the Lazio chairman, claimed to be 'disappointed' by the ban and retorted that the Lazio fans are not racist.

Lazio are the only club among Italy's major sides not to have a black player in its ranks. Although this does not necessarily mean that Lazio is a racist club, it is nonetheless indicative that the club may be giving in to the right wing tendencies of its fans.

Like Lazio, too many clubs deny that there is a problem despite the increase in violence and racism in Italian stadiums. As a result of which, the situation is getting progressively worse.

Whilst each outbreak of racism results in a number of discussion programmes talking about the issue, there has been no widespread debate to try and find solutions to the problem.

Indeed, too many people seem eager to forget the whole issue and even try to trivialise it by claiming that such racial taunting is part and parcel of the modern game. The players earn enough money to be able to suffer this abuse.

This conspiracy of silence, however, only aids those who view football as a way to spread their supremacist rubbish. Unfortunately, there is little to indicate that the situation will change. And, until this happens, racist behaviour will remain the order of the day.