AP NEWS
Listen
Click to copy
Click to copy
Related topics

Spanish league finds no proof of racial abuse by player

April 9, 2021 GMT
1 of 2
FILE - In this Oct. 23, 2019, file photo, Valencia's Mouctar Diakhaby, left, leaves the pitch after receiving a red card during the group H Champions League soccer match between Lille and Valencia at the Stade Pierre Mauroy - Villeneuve d'Ascq stadium in Lille, France. Valencia stopped playing its Spanish league game at Cadiz on Sunday, April 4, 2021 and walked off the field after one of its players said he was racially insulted by an opponent. The club said it resumed the game after feeling threatened by the referee with the loss of points. Valencia left the field after Diakhaby said he was insulted by Cadiz defender Juan Cala, who denied any wrongdoing. Cadiz, from southern Spain, condemned racism but said it "cannot comment on incidents that arise between players during the course of play.” (AP Photo/Michel Spingler, File)
1 of 2
FILE - In this Oct. 23, 2019, file photo, Valencia's Mouctar Diakhaby, left, leaves the pitch after receiving a red card during the group H Champions League soccer match between Lille and Valencia at the Stade Pierre Mauroy - Villeneuve d'Ascq stadium in Lille, France. Valencia stopped playing its Spanish league game at Cadiz on Sunday, April 4, 2021 and walked off the field after one of its players said he was racially insulted by an opponent. The club said it resumed the game after feeling threatened by the referee with the loss of points. Valencia left the field after Diakhaby said he was insulted by Cadiz defender Juan Cala, who denied any wrongdoing. Cadiz, from southern Spain, condemned racism but said it "cannot comment on incidents that arise between players during the course of play.” (AP Photo/Michel Spingler, File)

MADRID (AP) — The Spanish league said Friday it has not found any evidence to support accusations by a player who said he was racially insulted during a match last weekend.

The league said it has analyzed all the available video and audio of conversations between the two players, including hiring a company specialized in lip reading, but found no proof of racially abusive language.

The incident occurred during Sunday’s game between Cádiz and Valencia. The Valencia players walked off the field after Mouctar Diakhaby said he was racially insulted by Cádiz defender Juan Cala. Diakhaby is Black. Cala has denied any wrongdoing.

ADVERTISEMENT

In response to the league’s conclusions, Valencia said “just because evidence was not found does not mean that the incident did not occur.”

“Even though the league has carried out its investigation our club does not change its opinion on what happened and maintains its complete support of Diakhaby,” Valencia said.

The match continued after the Valencia squad returned saying it felt threatened by the referee with the loss of points.

The incident is also being investigated by the Spanish soccer federation.

The Spanish government sent a letter on Wednesday to the league and federation expressing “concerns with situations like this,” which have been happening “often in soccer competitions in our country.”

The league said in its statement that it “condemns racism in all its forms and maintains its commitment to combating any of its manifestations.”

The league added that it had shared its findings with the federation and the two clubs.

___

More AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

All contents © copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.