A Spanish third-tier side on Saturday refused to finish a match after their goalkeeper faced off with fans who were allegedly racially abusing him, hours after La Liga club Sevilla complained of insults directed at their coach and a player.
The incidents came a few days after Spain faced Brazil in a friendly match arranged to combat racism, following numerous instances of abuse aimed at Real Madrid forward Vinicius Junior over the past few seasons.
Rayo Majadahonda goalkeeper Cheikh Kane Sarr was sent off in the 84th minute of his team’s match at Sestao River, near Bilbao, after remonstrating with one supporter behind his goal.
Photo: EPA-EFE
His team decided not to keep playing after the Senegalese goalkeeper, 23, was dismissed and eventually walked off, with the game then suspended.
Earlier, La Liga side Sevilla condemned “racist and xenophobic abuse” aimed at coach Quique Sanchez Flores and defender Marcos Acuna during a game at Getafe.
“We had three despicable cases of racism in Spain this Saturday alone,” Vinicius wrote on X, offering his support to Acuna and Sanchez Flores.
“To Sarr and Rayo Majadahonda, may your bravery inspire others, racists must be exposed and the games cannot continue with them in the stands,” the Madrid forward added. “We will only have victory when the racists leave the stadiums and go straight to jail, a place they deserve.”
“It’s an absolute disgrace what happened today ... a section of the stadium spitting out racist insults at our teammate Cheikh Sarr, for the color of his skin,” Rayo captain Jorge Casado wrote on Instagram. “In addition, the RFEF [Royal Spanish Football Federation] trying to oblige us to go out and finish the game. How shameful.”
In Sevilla’s 1-0 win at Getafe, referee Javier Iglesias Villanueva wrote in his report that home fans yelled “Acuna monkey” and “Acuna, you come from monkeys” at the Argentina international, leading the official to briefly pause the match.
Sevilla coach Quique Sanchez Flores said he was called a “gypsy” by some home fans, adding that he was proud of his background, but opposed it being used as abuse.
“I am proud of every pore in my veins that can breathe ‘gypsy,’” the coach said. “It is one thing to be a gypsy or partly, and another to use it as a racist insult — I find it abhorrent.”
Taiwan’s top women’s badminton doubles duo, Hsieh Pei-shan (謝沛珊) and Hung En-tzu (洪恩慈), achieved a straight-sets victory over Japan’s Kaho Osawa and Mayui Tanabe at the Badminton World Federation (BWF) Super 300 Macau Open on Sunday. The Taiwanese pair won the final 21-18, 21-12, marking the duo’s second title this year after their win at the BWF Super 300 Taipei Open in May. The match on Sunday was their first encounter with the Japanese duo, ranked No. 63 in the world. Hsieh and Hung, ranked No. 12, began the opening game well. Hung, who plays left-handed, performed strongly at both the net and the
Canadian teenager Victoria Mboko upset top-seeded Coco Gauff 6-1, 6-4 on Saturday night to reach the National Bank Open quarter-finals. “Your support was incredible,” Mboko told the crowd in French after a chorus of “Ole, Ole, Ole” chants echoed around the venue. “I’m really happy to win today ... It’s incredible. I’m so happy to beat such a great champion.” Gauff dropped to 2-3 since winning the French Open. She followed the major victory with opening losses in Berlin and Wimbledon, then overcame double-fault problems to win two three-set matches in Montreal. Gauff had five double-faults on Saturday after having 23 in
Formula 1 champion Max Verstappen on Thursday said that he is staying with the Red Bull team next year, ending months of speculation over his future. “Some people just like to stir the pot, some people just like to create drama, but, for me, it’s always been quite clear, and also for next year,” the four-time champion said ahead of the Hungarian Grand Prix. “I’m discussing with the team already the plans — the things that we want to change for next year, so that means that I’m also staying with the team for next year,” he said. Verstappen has a contract with
Alex Michelsen on Thursday rallied for a 3-6, 7-6 (7/4), 6-4 upset victory over third-seeded Lorenzo Musetti in the men’s singles, converting his seventh match point to reach the fourth round of the Canadian Open. Michelsen reached the last 16 of a Masters 1000 for the first time with his second win over a top-10 player in eight attempts. The 20-year-old American survived nearly 50 unforced errors and converted just two of nine break chances, but it was enough to vanquish Italy’s Musetti, a two-time Grand Slam semi-finalist ranked 10th in the world. “It feels really good,” the 26th-ranked Michelsen said. “I’ve put
RSS