Spanish club Mallorca announced on Sunday that it was collaborating with authorities to find the fan who made monkey gestures during a Spanish league match against Real Madrid.
The fan was seen on TV making the gestures as Madrid players celebrated a goal by Aurélien Tchouaméni in the second half of the game at Son Moix Stadium on Saturday. The fan then threw a plastic water bottle onto the field, which Madrid players showed to the referee.
The Spanish league was also expected to formally condemn the alleged racial abuse.
Mallorca stated that it “will not tolerate any form of racism” and emphasized its participation in campaigns against racism. The club clarified that it didn’t want this “isolated incident” to affect the image of Mallorca fans.
This wasn’t the first time Madrid players reported racial abuse during a match at Mallorca. Vinícius Júnior stated that he was subjected to racist insults during a league match there last year.
The fan involved was accused of a hate crime and banned from the stadium for three years.
Mallorca, partly owned by NBA stars Steve Nash and Steve Kerr, recently made headlines by reaching the Copa del Rey final. However, it lost the final to Athletic Bilbao earlier this month.
Vinícius has faced racial abuse in Spain since his arrival six years ago. Despite efforts to combat racism, there has been another surge in incidents against him recently.
No one has been prosecuted for racial abuse in professional soccer in Spain. Madrid won Saturday’s match 1-0, extending its lead in the league, while Mallorca is currently in 15th place, six points clear of relegation.
