Gianni Infantino Condemns Racist Abuse in Guatemala vs Suriname Match
- FIFA president Gianni Infantino condemned racist abuse directed at Suriname players during a decisive CONCACAF Nations League match against Guatemala, stating that football has no place for such...
- The tension on the pitch escalated significantly as Suriname players endured sustained racial slurs from the stands throughout the match.
- The Surinamese football association subsequently released a statement confirming that their squad had been targeted by racism throughout the entire encounter in Guatemala.
FIFA president Gianni Infantino condemned racist abuse directed at Suriname players during a decisive CONCACAF Nations League match against Guatemala, stating that football has no place for such behavior and pledging full support to the Surinamese football association. The remarks followed a fixture that concluded with a 1-0 victory for Guatemala during the night from Monday to Tuesday, which left Suriname out of the quarter-finals in stoppage time.
Racist Abuse And Pitch Incidents Mar CONCACAF Nations League Match
The tension on the pitch escalated significantly as Suriname players endured sustained racial slurs from the stands throughout the match. Richonell Margaret received a red card during the game for reacting to the abuse coming from the stands. After the final whistle, FC Groningen goalkeeper Etienne Vaessen lost control entirely, clashing with Guatemala players and officials while making an obscene gesture toward the crowd as he exited the pitch.
The Surinamese football association subsequently released a statement confirming that their squad had been targeted by racism throughout the entire encounter in Guatemala. The defeat eliminated Suriname from contention for the CONCACAF Nations League quarter-finals in the dying minutes of stoppage time.
FIFA President Responds To Guatemala And El Salvador Incidents
Gianni Infantino took to social media to address the hostility faced by the visiting players. There is no place for racism in football. What the Suriname players have had to endure in Guatemala is completely unacceptable,
Infantino stated on Instagram. He added that As FIFA, we will fully support the Surinamese football association in their fight to ban racism from football.
FIFA recently issued a fine to El Salvador after that country’s supporters were also found guilty of chanting racist slogans at Surinamese players during earlier fixtures.
Surinamese Association Seeks Disciplinary Action From Governing Bodies
With Infantino confirming direct institutional backing, the Surinamese football association prepares to work alongside FIFA to address the hostile environment encountered during the tournament.
There is no place for racism in football. What the Suriname players have had to endure in Guatemala is completely unacceptable.
Gianni Infantino