Spain head coach Luis de la Fuente and the Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) have strongly condemned "Islamophobic" and "xenophobic" chants by some fans during the country's friendly match against Egypt. The game, which ended in a 0-0 draw, was marred by persistent anti-Muslim jeers directed at the visiting team.

De la Fuente voiced "total and absolute disgust" at the behavior of some Spanish supporters after the match, stating that "any form of xenophobia, racism or disrespect" is absolutely unacceptable. He added, "Violent people use football to carve out a space for themselves. They must be removed from society, identified, and kept as far away as possible."

Spanish Justice Minister Felix Bolanos joined the condemnation, saying such "racist insults and chants shame us as a society." Catalonia's Mossos d’Esquadra regional police force announced an investigation into the chants at the RCDE Stadium, where the incident occurred.

The trouble began early in the match, with Spanish fans loudly jeering the Egyptian national anthem before shifting to overtly racist and anti-Muslim chants during the first half. Stadium operators displayed a message on scoreboards reminding fans that legislation prohibits participation in violent, xenophobic, or racist acts.

Spain has seen several similar incidents in recent years, with players like Brazilian forward and Real Madrid star Vinicius Junior facing repeated racist abuse. This event highlights the ongoing issue of racism in Spanish sports, raising concerns about fan behavior and enforcement of anti-discrimination measures.

Source: www.dw.com