Spanish referee stops soccer match because of racist ‘monkey calls’

MADRID – A referee briefly stopped Sunday’s Spanish league match between Sporting Gijon and visiting Athletic Bilbao because of racist chants aimed at Bilbao player Inaki Williams.

Referee Clos Gomez wrote in his match report that he suspended play for a minute in the first half when he heard racist chants imitating what he said were “monkey calls” from one section of El Molinon Stadium directed at Williams.

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Gomez says that a warning was then given by the public announcer and that the abusive insults stopped.