In yet another unsettling incident of racism in Spanish football, Athletic Bilbao winger Nico Williams was subjected to racist abuse during a La Liga match against Atletico Madrid. Williams reported hearing “monkey sounds” directed at him from the stands while he was taking a corner kick during the first half of the game. The distressing event occurred on Saturday at Atletico Madrid’s home stadium.
Following the incident, Williams expressed his frustration and hope for change, stating, “There are stupid people everywhere but nothing happens, we have to keep working. I hope this changes little by little because in the end, we are fighting internally and externally against this.” His comments highlight an ongoing struggle against racial discrimination in the sport.
During the match, Williams tried to bring the incident to the referee’s attention, and Atletico players Antoine Griezmann and Jose Maria Gimenez also appeared to urge the home fans to cease their discriminatory chanting. Later in the game, Williams scored a goal and celebrated in front of the stands by tapping his arm, a gesture referencing his skin color and the abuse he had endured.
Despite Williams’ goal equalizing the score just before halftime, Atletico Madrid went on to win the match 3-1. Atletico captain Koke Resurreccion spoke out against the abusive behavior, emphasizing that such actions have no place in soccer.
Atletico Madrid and La Liga both issued statements condemning the racist behavior, with La Liga asserting, “There’s no place for racist or hateful behavior in sport,” and committing to ongoing efforts to eradicate racism from football.
The incident adds to a troubling pattern of racial abuse in Spanish football, with several cases still unresolved. This includes a pending trial for an Espanyol supporter who racially abused Nico Williams’ brother, Inaki Williams, during a match in 2020. Additionally, Real Madrid recently filed a hate crime complaint after Vinicius Jr. was racially abused during a game against Valencia.
The Spanish football league, despite its efforts, continues to confront challenges in deterring racism, prompting calls for more decisive action. Prominent figures like Rio Ferdinand have voiced criticism over the inadequacy of measures to combat racism in football, urging a stronger stance from authorities.
