Guelor Kanga Suspended After Responding to Racist Abuse — Sparks Outrage
In a deeply controversial move, the Russian Football Federation (RFU) has handed a three-match suspension to Guelor Kanga, the Gabonese midfielder playing for FC Rostov, following an incident of racist abuse during a league match against Spartak Moscow.
Kanga, who endured monkey chants from the Spartak crowd throughout the match, responded to the hateful taunts by showing the middle finger to the stands — a gesture that led the RFU to label his reaction as “an insult to the fans” and punish him with a ban and a £600 fine.
While Kanga’s response was admittedly impulsive, many in the football world see it as a human reaction to blatant racism. The RFU’s decision has drawn widespread criticism, particularly due to the fact that Spartak Moscow received a lighter punishment — a £830 fine, with no fan bans or point deductions — despite their supporters being found guilty of racist behavior.
This isn’t the first time such action has been taken in Russia. Christopher Samba, the Congolese international, faced a two-match suspension under similar circumstances in September after also reacting to racial abuse.
The case of Guelor Kanga adds to growing concerns about how football governing bodies handle racism, with many fans, players, and human rights groups calling for stronger sanctions against offenders, not victims. The incident raises difficult questions about the priorities of disciplinary systems that often seem to punish reactions more harshly than the racism itself.
