Cheikh Sarr: racism victim, suspended in Spain. @RMAJADAHONDA on 'X'

On Wednesday in Spain, Senegal goalkeeper Cheikh Sarr was handed a two-match ban after being sent off for confronting an opposing fan who had hurled racist abuse at him.

Cheikh Sarr, the goalkeeper for third-tier side Rayo Majadahonda, was sent off during a match against Sestao last weekend after leaping into the stands to confront a spectator who had been hurling racial insults at him. On the same night, Marcos Anuña and Quique Sánchez Flores were also subjected to racist abuse in Getafe, Madrid.

His teammates decided not to finish the game and returned to the dressing room to condemn the "unacceptable racist abuse." "It's an absolute disgrace what happened today. A section of the stadium hurled racist abuse at our teammate Cheikh Sarr because of the colour of his skin. We are all Cheikh, no to racism," said Rayo Majadahonda captain Jorge Casado on Instagram.


The Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) admitted that Sarr had been "seriously offended", but suspended him for his reaction and also reprimanded Sarr and his team-mates for failing to report the racist chants at the start of the game, in a case reminiscent of that of Vinicius.

"If I am sanctioned, I will be surprised and I will consider it unfair," said Sarr at a press conference on Tuesday. Sestao were fined 6,000 euros and ordered to play their next two home games without a crowd, while their 3-0 win over Rayo Majadahonda was forfeited when the latter's players refused to play on.

Rayo Majadahonda said in a statement that they would not appeal against the sanction imposed on our player Cheikh Sarr, adding: "It was a joint decision, and we would do it again and again to protect our player and uphold the values that have prevailed throughout the history of our club."


The Spanish media urged the authorities not to punish Sarr, stressing that if Spain really wanted to eradicate racism from its stadiums, such actions should be avoided, with headlines such as "The victim cannot be punished."

Speaking at a press conference on Tuesday, Sarr said: "(What I suffered) was something terrible, something I could not bear, very sad. "My daughter deserves a better world. I am fighting and will fight for her," he added in an Instagram post.