Premium
This is an archive article published on February 27, 2006

Ronaldinho for end to racial abuse

Barcelona playmaker Ronaldinho said if his teammate Samuel Eto8217;o had walked off the pitch on Saturday after being racially abused durin...

.

Barcelona playmaker Ronaldinho said if his teammate Samuel Eto8217;o had walked off the pitch on Saturday after being racially abused during their Primera Liga match at Real Zaragoza, he would have gone as well.

The Cameroon international tried to leave the pitch in the second half, appearing to say that he was fed up with the racial abuse being directed at him by the home fans, but was convinced to stay by players and coach Frank Rijkaard.

8220;I would have gone with Eto8217;o after hearing the insults he received throughout the game,8221; Ronaldinho told reporters. 8220;This kind of thing cannot continue. We have to try and abolish these things from football pitches.8221;

8220;I tried to calm him down and told him that he was bigger than the people who were insulting him. We hope that actions like those of Samuel8217;s mean these kinds of incidents won8217;t happen again,8221; he said.

After the game, which Barca won 2-0 to go nine points clear at the top of the table, referee Victor Esquinas Torres detailed the incidents in his match report which was posted on the Spanish Football Federation8217;s RFEF official website.

8220;In the 76th minute, when Eto8217;o went to take a corner, the crowd behind the goal started to chant repetitively Uh! Uh! Uh! Uh! Uh!; clearly imitating the sound of a monkey,8221; said Esquinas Torres.

8220;I stopped the game for two minutes to ask the club to make an announcement over the PA system to ask the crowd to stop making these sounds that were in my opinion clearly racist.

Story continues below this ad

8220;But despite this announcement the same kinds of sounds were heard from various sections of the crowd throughout the rest of the game every time Eto8217;o went to dispute the ball. The same occurred at the end of the game from the crowd at the side of the pitch when Eto8217;o went to leave the pitch,8221; he added.

 

Latest Comment
Post Comment
Read Comments
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement