Story by
Racism allegation stops Elche–Espanyol match in final minutes
- Story by
- Racism allegation stops Elche–Espanyol match in final minutes
Racism allegation stops Elche–Espanyol match in final minutes
Elche vs Espanyol match stopped after racism complaint from Omar El Hilali
Racism allegation stops Elche–Espanyol match in final minutes
The La Liga match between Elche & Espanyol was briefly stopped after Omar El Hilali reported racist abuse late in the game.
Advertisement
Game stopped after serious claim
The La Liga match between Elche and Espanyol which ended in 2-2 draw on Sunday was interrupted after racism complaint from Moroccan defender Omar El Hilali.
According to Spanish newspaper Marca, tension rose in the final minutes. In the 80 minute, the referee activated La Liga's anti-racism protocol, temporarily stopping the match after El Hilali accused Elche striker Rafa Mir of making racist comment.
What happened on the pitch
The incident started after clash between El Hilali and Rafa Mir. The Espanyol defender immediately turned toward the referee showing clear anger and claimed that the Elche forward had insulted him in racist way.
Advertisement
Rafa Mir denied the accusation with hand gesture and appeared to downplay the situation. Despite this, the referee decided to stop the match and informed the stadium officials leading to the formal activation of the anti-racism procedure.
Play resumed few minutes later but the atmosphere remained tense until the final whistle.
Referee report and possible sanction
Agence France-Presse reported that the referee's official report stated that Rafa Mir allegedly told El Hilali:
However, the referee also confirmed that none of the match officials directly heard the insult.
Even so Rafa Mir could face serious disciplinary action if the investigation confirms the allegation.
Mir Already Under Investigation
Rafa Mir under investigation in a separate sexual assault case linked to incidents involving woman he met at nightclub.
At the time, his club did not terminate his contract but suspended him for two matches and fined him.
