Spanish Football: Racism Protocol Activated Over 'F***ing Chinese' Slur Claim
Spanish football faces another racism controversy after Real Sociedad B's Japanese player Kazunari Kita accused CD Castellón's Alberto Jiménez of making a racist comment during a Primera Federación match, prompting the referee to activate anti-racism protocols.
Spanish football is once again dealing with a racism issue, this time in the Primera Federación league. It happened during a game between CD Castellón and Real Sociedad B, involving Castellón defender Alberto Jiménez and Real Sociedad B's Japanese player, Kazunari Kita.
According to the referee's report from yesterday's match at the Zubieta Sports City, Kita complained that Jiménez made a racist comment to him in the 93rd minute. The referee, Alonso de Ena, stopped the game and followed the anti-racism rules. He made an X shape with his arms and spoke to both team coaches before the game continued. Real Sociedad B won the match 4-2.
The referee's report specifically states that Kita, who wears number 15, said Castellón's number 5 called him a "fucking Chinese." However, no one on the referee team heard the comment directly.
This incident is just one of several recent events that have raised concerns about racism in Spanish sports. Pablo Hernández, CD Castellón's coach, said he plans to talk to Alberto Jiménez before making a public statement, hoping it was all a misunderstanding. Jon Ansotegi, coach for Real Sociedad B, didn't see what happened but supported his player's account. He stressed the importance of getting rid of all racism in football and suggested punishments if the claims are proven true, especially since there might be video evidence. Alberto Jiménez chose not to comment after his team's second straight loss.
The repeated nature of these incidents is worrying. Not long ago, the anti-racism protocol was also used during a game between Elche and Espanyol. In that case, the referee's report noted that Rafa Mir (Elche) allegedly told Omar El Hilali (Espanyol), "you came in a dinghy." There's no video of this incident from LaLiga, and it's currently being reviewed by the Competition Committee.
The problem even affects youth leagues. In Gran Canaria, during a División de Honor Juvenil match, player Nabil Mbaye reported that an opponent, Carlos Lionel Hernández, called him a "fucking black piece of shit." This led to a fight among fans near the field. These events highlight the urgent need for sports organizations to work together and take strong action to protect respect and inclusion in all levels of football.