You’ve made it to the new Global Edition. For ESPN editions, click here.
The Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) has ordered Atletico Madrid to partially close its south stand for two matches after Athletic Club player Nico Williams was subjected to racist abuse at Saturday’s La Liga match.
Referee Juan Martinez Munuera stopped the game in the 36th minute as part of La Liga’s anti-racism protocol after hearing insults directed at the 21-year-old Spain international, who was born in Pamplona to Ghanaian parents.
Atletico, which did not respond quickly when contacted via Reuters for comment, was also fined 20,000 euros ($21,360). You have 10 days to appeal.
The RFEF said in a statement on Tuesday that the enclosed venue in the stands must display a visual message condemning violent, racist, xenophobic and illiberal acts in football and supporting fair play.
Minutes after he was abused, Williams scored and ran into the south stand, patting him on the arm in reference to the color of his skin.
After the game, which Atletico won 3-1, he told DAZN: “There are other stupid people but that’s okay, we have to keep fighting to make it adjust little by little. “
The incident is the latest in a series of episodes that have fuelled debate over racism in Spanish football. There have been incidents of racist abuse against Real Madrid’s Brazilian winger Vinicius Junior reported to Spanish prosecutors via La Liga over the past two seasons.
Earlier this month, Spanish TV channel Movistar Plus fired analyst German Burgos after Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain refused to grant interviews to the channel following a comment interpreted as racist by Barcelona’s Lamine Yamal.
Also in April, Getafe was ordered to partially close its central stand for three games following racist and xenophobic abuse suffered by Sevilla coach Quique Sanchez Flores and player Marcos Acuña in a La Liga match.
On the same day, a Spanish Tercera match between Rayo Majadahonda and Sestao River was suspended after Rayo’s Senegalese goalkeeper, Cheikh Kane Sarr, clashed with an opposing fan who he said was racially insulting him.