The global mobilization against racism in football, sparked by Dani Alves’ response to a banana thrown at him during a match, continues to resonate strongly. However, new incidents of racism threaten to overshadow these efforts. During the Levante-Atletico Madrid match on Sunday, which ended in a 2-0 victory for Levante, Atletico supporters directed monkey chants at Pape Kouli Diop, the Senegalese midfielder playing for Levante.
Despite enduring the racial abuse throughout the match, Diop managed to maintain his composure on the field. However, after the final whistle, he confronted the Colchoneros fans about their behavior. Shockingly, the monkey chants persisted, with some supporters even resorting to mimicking primates.
Diop later revealed in an interview with Cadena SER that he had been subjected to monkey chants from the Atletico fans during the match. In response, he decided to confront them directly by dancing in front of them after the game.
These distressing incidents serve as a stark reminder that racism still plagues football stadiums around the world, despite ongoing efforts to combat it. It underscores the need for continued vigilance and action to eradicate racism from the beautiful game.
Tags: Dani Alves, racism, Levante, Atletico Madrid, Pape Kouli Diop, monkey chants, football
