- 'Like a quake': Beirut shaken after deadliest strikes on centre
- Fallen giants Ghana in AFCON trouble after Sudan draw
- Asian leaders meet in Laos with US, Russia on world turmoil
- England gamble backfires as Pavlidis fires emotional Greece to victory
- Obama stumps for Harris, Trump talks US protectionism
- New-look France ease past Israel in Nations League
- Belgium fight back to draw with 10-man Italy in Nations League
- 'Get a life': Hurricane whips up US election storm
- Japan stay perfect in World Cup qualifying
- Relief as Lebanon evacuees dock in Turkey
- Lebanon says 22 dead in Israeli strikes on central Beirut
- NBA boss Silver sees games back in China 'at some point'
- Israel strikes central Beirut, killing 22
- Table tennis and Netflix push Ukraine teen into French Open contention
- Civilians flee Gaza's Jabalia in tightening Israeli siege
- Israel strikes central Beirut, killing 18
- At least 10 dead in Florida from tornadoes caused by Hurricane Milton
- Warhol's rare 'Queen' collection opens at Dutch museum
- Three-time NBA champion Green retires
- MLB Twins up for sale after 40 years
- S.Sudan floods affect 893,000, over 241,000 displaced: UN
- Solar storm could impact US hurricane recovery efforts: agency
- Windies sweat on injury to 'crucial' Taylor at World Cup
- Lebanon says 11 dead, 48 injured in Israeli strikes on Beirut
- Panama lashes out at EU over tax haven 'outrage'
- Erdogan says Gaza 'shame of humanity', calls for permanent ceasfire
- TD Bank to pay more than $3 bn to US in money-laundering case
- SAfrica prosecutors drop criminal complaint against president
- 'Good opportunity': Nagelsmann upbeat despite Germany's long injury list
- Hurricane whips up bitter US election battle
- Cameroon bans media talk of president's health amid rumours
- NFL MVP Jackson and rookie phenom Daniels set for showdown
- Chad's capital under threat as floodwaters rise
- Lebanon state media says Israeli strikes hit central Beirut
- No answers on strike on reporters in Lebanon one year on: watchdog
- Ramharack picks four wickets as Windies beat Bangladesh in Women's T20 World Cup
- France's City of Light switches to climate-resilient power cables
- Djokovic hails Nadal 'legacy' as Alcaraz in 'shock' over retirement
- Obama hits campaign trail for Harris
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- Djokovic tells Nadal: 'Your legacy will live forever'
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- Home hopes Zheng and Wang through to last-eight in Wuhan Open
- UN peacekeepers say Israel fired on Lebanon HQ, injuring 2
- UK's William and Kate in first joint public engagement since cancer treatment
- Alcaraz out as top players pay tribute to Nadal at Shanghai Masters
- Racing's Farrell 'not thinking' about British and Irish Lions
Racist abuse stains Liga and third-tier games in Spain
A Spanish third-tier side refused to finish a match on Saturday after their goalkeeper faced off with fans who were allegedly racially abusing him, hours after La Liga club Sevilla complained of insults directed at their coach and a player.
The incidents came a few days after Spain faced Brazil in a friendly match arranged to combat racism, following numerous instances of abuse aimed at Real Madrid forward Vinicius Junior over recent seasons.
Rayo Majadahonda goalkeeper Cheikh Kane Sarr was sent off in the 84th minute of his team's match at Sestao River, near Bilbao, after remonstrating with one supporter behind his goal.
His team decided not to keep playing after the Senegalese goalkeeper, 23, was dismissed and eventually walked off, with the game then suspended.
Earlier La Liga side Sevilla condemned "racist and xenophobic abuse" aimed at coach Quique Sanchez Flores and defender Marcos Acuna during a game at Getafe.
"We had three despicable cases of racism in Spain this Saturday alone," wrote Vinicius on social media platform X, offering his support to Acuna and Sanchez Flores.
"To Sarr and Rayo Majadahonda, may your bravery inspire others, racists must be exposed and the games cannot continue with them in the stands," added the Madrid forward.
"We will only have victory when the racists leave the stadiums and go straight to jail, a place they deserve."
Vinicius notably suffered racial abuse away at Valencia in May last season and received worldwide support after squaring off with a supporter in the stands, as Sarr did at Sestao.
"Our team will not come out to restart the game after our player received unacceptable racist insults," wrote Sarr's team Rayo Majadahonda on X.
"It's an absolute disgrace what happened today... a section of the stadium spitting out racist insults at our team-mate Cheikh Sarr, for the colour of his skin," said their captain Jorge Casado on Instagram.
"In addition, the RFEF (Spanish football federation) trying to oblige us to go out and finish the game.
"How shameful, it seems crazy that it's the year 2024 and we have brainless people in the stadiums running amok -- we are all Cheikh, no to racism."
- 'Abhorrent' -
The Spanish federation said their competition committee would decide on issues arising from the incident.
"The match was suspended after an incident between fans... and Cheikh Sarr... who reported having received racist insults without any member of the referee team, given their position on the field, being able to hear them," said the Spanish federation in a statement.
"Francisco Garcia Riesgo, the referee, suspended the match when the visiting team's players decided to leave the field of play due to the aforementioned events, without the referee being able to put the anti-racism protocol into practise since the Madrid team refused to continue playing."
Rayo Majadahonda, losing 2-1 at the time, had already been reduced to 10 men earlier in the second half before Sarr was then dismissed.
It was the second match tainted by alleged racism of the day in Spain, following two incidents in Sevilla's 1-0 win at Getafe.
Referee Javier Iglesias Villanueva wrote in his report home fans yelled "Acuna monkey" and "Acuna, you come from monkeys" at the Argentina international, leading the official to briefly pause the match.
Sevilla coach Quique Sanchez Flores said he was called a "gypsy" by some home fans, and that he was proud of his background but opposed it being used as abuse.
"I am proud of every pore in my veins that can breathe 'gypsy'," said the coach.
"It is one thing to be a gypsy or partly, and another to use it as a racist insult -- I find it abhorrent."
Y.Kobayashi--AMWN