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Germany stars Goretzka and Gnabry condemn racist abuse

Germany stars Leon Goretzka and Serge Gnabry have spoken out in condemnation of the racist abuse directed at team mates Leroy Sane and Ilkay Gündogan during Wednesday's draw with Serbia.

Germany stars Goretzka and Gnabry condemn racist abuse
Serge Gnabry. Photo: DPA

“It is ridiculous to cheer on one player and insult another just because of their skin colour. Racism has no place in the stadium or anywhere else in society,” Gnabry, 23, told German tabloid Bild. 

On Friday, police confirmed that three men aged between 30 and 40 had turned themselves in after another fan, basketball journalist Andre Voigt,
posted a video on Facebook.

Voigt, who been at the game as a supporter, described in the video how fans sitting behind him had repeatedly hurled racist abuse at Sane and Gündogan, who are of Senegalese and Turkish heritage respectively.

“I don't remember ever being insulted like that myself, but it does have an effect on me because I have the same colour skin as Leroy,” said Gnabry, whose father is Ivorian.

“It is really sad that things like this are happening in 2019, and it's important to raise your voice in a moment like that.”

Speaking ahead of Germany's Euro 2020 qualifier against the Netherlands this Sunday, Gnabry's Germany and Bayern Munich team mate Leon Goretzka also called on fans to stand up to racism.

“I watched the video, and the scenes that he describes made me really quite furious,” said the midfielder.

“I can only call on everyone to put people like that in their place.”

“Where I come from in the Ruhr region, if you are asked about your nationality, the only answer is either Schalke, Dortmund or Bochum.”

READ ALSO: Germany fans filmed shouting racist and Nazi chants turn themselves in

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RACISM

VIDEO: Spain’s La Liga reviews video of boy racially abusing Vinicius

Spain's La Liga on Monday said it was reviewing a video of a child making racist insults towards Real Madrid forward Vinicius Junior during the 2-2 draw with Valencia at the weekend.

VIDEO: Spain's La Liga reviews video of boy racially abusing Vinicius

“We’re in the process of studying and analysing the facts from a legal standpoint to see what we can and should do,” La Liga sources said.

In a video published by a journalist for ESPN Brasil, and picked up by Spanish media, a boy sitting in a woman’s lap can be heard calling Vinicius a “monkey”.

The Brazilian scored twice for Madrid as his team recovered from two goals down at Mestalla on Saturday.

Vinicius raised his fist in a “Black Power” salute after the first of his two goals at a ground where he was racially abused last season. Valencia subsequently banned three people from the stadium for life.

The 23-year-old has become a symbol of the fight against discrimination in Spanish football after suffering racist abuse on many occasions, and he was jeered repeatedly by home supporters on Saturday.

Jude Bellingham was sent off after the final whistle against Valencia for protesting after the referee blew the final whistle right before the England midfielder headed home what he thought was the winning goal.

READ ALSO: Football star Vinicius highlights racist behaviour from Spanish fans

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