The following incidents of racism, xenophobia, extreme nationalism or homophobia have been reported to Fare during November 2019. This list is only likely to reflect a proportion of the incidents that occurred.

All reports have been brought to Fare’s attention through eyewitness or media accounts. A Fare observer scheme is also currently at place at UEFA club and national team competitions to monitor discriminatory behaviour. Fare sends trained international observers to record discriminatory incidents at UEFA Champions League, Europa League, European Qualifiers and UEFA EURO 2020 as well as FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 Preliminary Competition.

Fare has third party reporting status with UEFA, and FIFA on international matches, and at a national level we can support incident reports made by our members.

The general public can keep us informed of national and international level incidents through the reporting form here.

02 November 2019 – Italian Serie A – Roma v Napoli

Roma fans racially abused Napoli’s Kalidou Koulibaly and chanted xenophobic chants against Napoli.

02 November 2019 – Italy, U11 Lombardia - Aurora Desio Calcio v Sovicese

Aurora Desio Calcio 10-year old player was racially abused by an opposing player’s mother during the game.

02 November 2019 – English Championship – Luton Town v Nottingham Forest

A video emerged on social media of a Nottingham Forrest fan appearing to direct racist slurs towards a steward during the match. Nottingham announced they are looking to issue a lifetime ban for the offender.

03 November 2019 – Dutch Amateur First Division - SV Venray - Wilhelmina'08

Wilhelmina'08 Cameroonian striker Placide Avouzoa Njoh was subjected to monkey noises by a group of SV Venray supporters. The match was interrupted and finally abandoned in the 70th minute by the referee De Loos.

03 November 2019 – Italian Serie A – Hellas Verona v Brescia

Mario Balotelli was racially abused with monkey noises by Hellas Verona fans. Balotelli picked up the ball and sent it into the stands, attempting to walk off the pitch. After Balotelli had been persuaded to stay on the pitch, referee Maurizio Mariani initiated the three-step protocol. An announcement warned fans that further abuse would lead to the game being abandoned.

03 November 2019 – English Premier League – Everton v Tottenham

A video of alleged Everton fan making a racist ‘slant-eye’ gesture towards Tottenham’s Son Heung-min appeared online after the fixture. Following the investigation of Everton and Merseyside police, Everton concluded that no offense was committed: 'After a thorough investigation, which included reviewing CCTV footage, speaking to witnesses and working alongside officers from Merseyside Police, Everton officials have concluded that there was no evidence of racist behaviour.’ It is not clear whether the footage has proven to be not from this match or other reasons lead to this conclusion.

03 November 2019 – Belgian Pro League – KV Mechelen v Charleroi

KV Mechelen fan shouted racist slurs and performed a Nazi salute at Charleroi midfielder Marco Ilaimaharitra. Player reported the incident to the referee and the assistant referee, but they had both not heard anything. Ilaimaharitra reacted to the fan while still on the pitch and was shown a yellow card. The player walked off the pitch in protest.

09 November 2019 - Scottish Junior Football Association - West of Scotland Cup - St Anthony’s v Hurlford United

St Anthony’s Polish striker Kamil Leszczynski was told to ‘get back to his own f*****g country’ by an opposition player in a xenophobic attack.

09 November 2019 – English Championship – Barnsley v Stoke City

Barnsley fans directed sectarian abuse at Stoke’s player James McClean.

10 November 2019 – Ukrainian Premier League – Shakhtar Donetsk v Dynamo Kyiv

Dynamo Kyiv away supporters racially abused Shakhtar striker Taison with monkey chants throughout the match. In the 74th minute into the game, Taison reacted by showing the away fans his middle finger and then sent the ball into the stands. The referee took the teams to the locker rooms for several minutes and then sent off Taison when the game resumed.

14 November 2019 - Kosovan Super League – KF Gjilani v Drenica

Drenica’s Liberian striker Van-Dave Harmon was racially abused throughout the match by Gjilani player Franc Veliu.

14 November 2019 – Preliminary Competition of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™ – Hong Kong v Bahrain

Bahrain defender Sayed Baqer directed the racist ‘slant-eyed’ gesture towards jeering Hong Kong supporters right before leaving the pitch. Player’s gesture is known as “slant-eyed” gesture, which is recognised as an ethnic slur used to mock and/or refer to Asian people or of Asian descent in a derogatory, disrespectful, pejorative and insulting manner, and, as such, widely known for

mocking.

Fare sent an incident report to FIFA Disciplinary. FIFA opened proceedings against Sayed Baqer on 19 November 2019 and sanctioned the player with a 10-match ban and CHF 30 000 fine on 19 December 2019.

15 November 2019 – UEFA EURO 2020 qualifier Romania v Sweden

Sweden’s Alexander Isak was subjected to racist monkey chants from several individual Romania supporters shortly after coming on as a substitute in the 78th minute into the game. The player reported the incident to the referee who activated the first step of the three-step protocol making a stadium announcement for the behaviour to stop. Alexander Isak was booed until the final whistle by home audience for reporting the incident. Due to the fact that only several individuals seemed to have been involved in the incident and thus it was not heard wider in the stadium, Alexander Isak was subjected to negative coverage in Romanian media and accused of making up the incident.

Fare sent an incident report to UEFA Disciplinary. UEFA have opened proceedings against Romanian Football Association but dismissed charges for lack of conclusive evidence.

17 November 2019 – Dutch Second Division – Den Bosch v Excelsior

The match was temporarily halted after Excelsior winger Ahmad Mendes Moreira was subjected to racist chanting by the home fans, including songs about 'Black Pete,' monkey chants and Nazi salutes. Ahmad Mendes Moreira attempted to walk off the pitch.

'Zwarte Piet,' a racist caricature that has historically been part of Saint Nicholas festivities in the Netherlands but its use in recent years has drawn protests across the nation.

As a result of the incident, the Dutch FA (KNVB) rolled out a new action plan including funding for regulations, awareness raising and education against racism in football.

FC Den Bosch initially posted on Twitter that the racist abuse was merely ‘sounds of a crow’ not monkey chants but shortly after deleted the post and apologised.

17 November 2019 English League 1 Tranmere Rovers v Wycombe Wanderers

Tranmere fans directed homophobic abuse at Wycombe goalkeeper Ryan Allsop, who reported the incident to the referee in the half-time break. Police have arrested one Tranmere supporter and investigating several others. English FA have launched an investigation with results not being available to public as of March 2020.

17 November 2019 Spanish Tercera Catalana – Bellcairenc – Vilanova de l’Aguda

Vilanova de l’Aguda team walked off the pitch after their player Musa was racially abused by Bellcairenc fans.

20 November 2019 Brazilian Carioca U-20 Championship, Vasco v Flamengo

Flamengo U-20 goalkeeper Hugo Souza was racially abused by Vasco fans.

23 November 2019 English League Two – Grimsby Town v Northampton

Grimsby midfielder Elliott Whitehouse racially abused a Northampton player.

23 November 2019 German Kreisliga B Böblingen/Calw - SV Mötzingen v SV Bondorf

Mötzingen fans racially abused Bondorf players approximately in the 76th minute into the match. Bondorf players walked off the pitch in solidarity with their abused teammate.

24 November 2019 Dutch Amateur League - Emmen v JOS Watergraafsmeer

Emmen fans directed racist abuse at JOS defender Richmond Bossman shouting ‘Zwarte Piet’. Emmen players tried to confront the perpetrator and referee was forced to suspend the match for 15 minutes.

'Zwarte Piet,' a racist caricature that has historically been part of Saint Nicholas festivities in the Netherlands but its use in recent years has drawn protests across the nation.

24 November 2019 Dutch Amateur League - Eldenia v Sporting '70

Eldenia supporter racially abused Sporting ’70 player at the end of the match.

24 November 2019 Italy Reggio Emilia Campionato di Eccellenza - Bagnolese-Agazzanese

Agazzanese goalkeeper Omar Daffe was racially abused by Bagnolese fans. Daffe walked off the pitch, consequently given a red card by the referee for leaving the pitch. Agazzanese team walked off the pitch in solidarity with their teammate.

26 November 2019 UEFA Champions League – Crvena Zvezda v Bayern Munich

Crvena Zvezda supporters chanted a xenophobic chant ‘Deutsche Schweine’ (ENG: ‘German pigs’). Fare sent a report to the UEFA Disciplinary.

26 November 2019 – English Championship – Reading v Leeds United

Leeds away fan directed racist comments towards Reading FC supporters.

29 November 2019 Dutch Second Division – Helmond Sport v Jong PSV

Helmond Sport fans racially abused Jong PSV striker Sekou Sidibe.

30 November 2019 English Premier League – Chelsea v West Ham

West Ham away supporters directed homophobic chants at Chelsea.

30 November 2019 English Premier League – Tottenham v Bournemouth

A Bournemouth fan was arrested for racist abuse directed at Tottenham fans.

30 November 2019 – English Northern Premier League - Whitby Town v Scarborough Athletic

Whitby town fans made racist comments during the match.

Media/ Social Media

12 November 2019 – England

Sanjay Bhandari, the new chairman of Kick It Out has revealed he received racist abuse immediately after his appointment became public. He faced slurs of "Paki" from social media trolls within minutes of the announcement.

23 November 2019 – Marco Van Basten Fox Sports Netherlands

Fox Sports Netherlands commentator, former footballer Marco Van Basten said "Sieg Heil" on air in a studio as reaction to an interview with a German coach. Fox Sports Netherlands have suspended Marco Van Basten for a week.

25 November 2019 – Italian Serie A – Brescia president Massimo Cellino

Brescia president Massimo Cellino was filmed making a racist comment about his own player Mario Balotelli, saying ‘What can I say? That he's black and he's working to whiten himself but he has great difficulties in this.’

Sanctions

5 November 2019 – Italian Serie A – Hellas Verona

Verona have banned the leader of their ultras, Lucas Castellini, until 30 June 2030 over racist comments he made about Mario Balotelli following racial abuse by Verona fans directed at Mario Balotelli during Serie A fixture between Verona and Brescia on 3 November 2019.

05 November 2019 – Italian Serie A – Hellas Verona

The Italian Football Federation's (FIGC) disciplinary commission had ordered Hellas Verona a suspended partial stadium closure for one match following racial abuse by Verona fans directed at Mario Balotelli during Serie A fixture between Verona and Brescia on 3 November 2019.

5 November – Belgian Pro League, KV Mechelen

Mechelen supporter who racially abused Marco Ilaimaharitra during KV Mechelen v Charleroi on 3 November 2019 was identified thanks to the intervention of two witnesses. He was immediately banned from the stadium by the court for three months. Later KV Mechelen imposed a 17-month stadium administrative ban on him and the 41-old perpetrator faced criminal charges for incitement to hatred and discrimination. The state prosecutor requested six months in prison , a three-year stadium ban and a fine of 4,200 euros. The man denied making a Hitler salute and pleaded for acquittal.

07 November 2019 – UEFA Europa League – Feyenoord v Young Boys

Feyenoord home support displayed a large text banner reading ‘Our dick doesn’t like young boys.’ The banner refers to the new coach of Feyenoord Dick Advocaat referencing the opponent team Young Boys in a pun that can be considered homophobic. It can also equally be read as mocking the child victims of abuse.

Fare sent an incident report to the UEFA Disciplinary.

07 November 2019 – UEFA Europa League – Lazio v Celtic

Fare recorded a groups of Lazio fans directing monkey noises at Celtic player number 22 Odsonne Édouard.

Fare sent an incident report to the UEFA Disciplinary. The charge was dismissed for insufficient evidence.

07 November 2019 – UEFA Europa League – Oleksandriya v St-Etienne

Fare recorded an individual Oleksandriya supporter prominently visible in the first row a Nazi salute multiple times.

Fare sent an incident report to the UEFA Disciplinary

13 November 2019 – English FA – Bernardo Silva

Manchester City's Bernardo Silva has been banned for one match and fined £50,000 by the English FA following a social media post where Silva compared his teammate Benjamin Mendy with a character on a packet of Conguitos - a chocolate brand available in Spain and Portugal, depicting a stereotypical caricature of a black person.

20 November 2019 – English FA – Mark Sampson

Mark Sampson, Stevenage caretaker manager, has been charged with a breach of FA Rule E3 by the English FA following a comment made discussing a potential recruit in a club meeting. It was alleged that while talking about signing a new player on September 2, 2019, Sampson said: '...a black Nigerian centre back, you can't rely on them.' The charge has been found not proven by the English FA on 20 January 2020.

21 November 2019 – Ukrainian Association of Football – Dynamo Kyiv and Taison

The Control and Disciplinary Committee of the Ukrainian Association of Football (UAF) has sanctioned Dynamo Kyiv for racist monkey chants of its supporters during the Ukrainian Premier League match against Shakhtar Donetsk on November 10 with one match to be played behind closed doors and a 17,000 EUR fine.

UAF sanctioned Taison with one match ban for reacting to racist abuse showing away fans the middle finger.

27 November 2019 – Romanian League 1 – Nicuşor Bancu – State Council for Combating Discrimination

Universitatea Craiova player Nicuşor Bancu was sanctioned by the tate Council for Combating Discrimination with a fine of 10,000 Lei for racist statements made against the Dutch player Bradley de Nooijer during the match against FC Viitorul on September 30 2019 in Romanian League 1. Football authorities have not issued any disciplinary measures against the player at the time of publication.