Detained for racist acts against Mbappé in Real Madrid match
A fan has been arrested after allegedly making racist gestures and sounds directed at Kylian Mbappé during Real Madrid’s match at the Real Oviedo stadium last month, according to confirmation from the Spanish National Police.
The match, played on August 24, ended with a 3-0 victory for Real Madrid, with Mbappé scoring two goals.
Police reported on Wednesday that an individual was identified making monkey gestures and sounds, after analyzing television images of the crowd’s reaction to Mbappé’s opening goal in the 37th minute.LaLiga reported the incident after the match, and the fan has been arrested and questioned, with the case being passed to hate crime prosecutors.
The offense could carry a prison sentence of up to three years, as well as a fine of between 60,000 and 650,000 euros ($70,000 and $762,000) and a ban from accessing stadiums.
LaLiga has adopted a more proactive stance in the fight against racist incidents within stadiums in recent seasons, especially after the abuse directed at Vinícius Júnior at Valencia’s Mestalla stadium in 2023, for which three fans were sentenced to prison.
Earlier this month, an Espanyol fan was convicted of a hate crime for racially insulting Athletic Club’s Iñaki Williams in January 2020, in what was the first case of its kind reported by the league to the authorities.
