Czech football club Sparta has identified the fans who shouted racist insults at Monaco player, filed a crime report against them and banned them from stadiums

Sparta Prague has identified the fans who shouted racist insults at Monaco player Aurélien Tchouaméni during a match in the 3rd preliminary round of the Champions League. The club wants to ban the culprits from attending any more matches and is filing a crime report against them.

The club has posted a statement to that effect on its official website. “During our investigation we analyzed video footage from the club’s camera system and other footage, as a result of which an investigation was launched against the people who committed that unacceptable behavior. Thanks to our security system, those visitors to the stadium were identified and in the near future, after all the essential steps have been taken, they will be informed that they are forbidden to attend any future matches of AC Sparta Praha. The club is also filing a criminal report,” the announcement posted yesterday reads. 

The incident happened a week ago, when Tchouaméni, a Black player for Monaco, scored a goal and the Sparta fans began to roar in disapproval – in addition to racist abuse, plastic beer cups were thrown onto the pitch. The home side hooligans shouted racist insults at other Monaco players as well during the match.  

David Lafata, a former captain for Sparta who was working as an announcer during the match, did his best to calm the turbulent atmosphere. Sparta’s statement concludes with the claim that the club has long been opposed to any form of racism.