ISTANBUL
Anti-Muslim chants heard from sections of the crowd during Spain’s 0-0 friendly draw against Egypt drew strong condemnation from football authorities and players.
Sections of the home crowd at RCDE Stadium were heard repeatedly chanting an anti-Muslim slogan, “jump, jump, jump, whoever doesn’t jump is a Muslim,” during the opening minutes, in the first half and shortly after halftime of Tuesday’s fixture.
At halftime and during the second half, a stadium announcement urged fans to refrain from racist, homophobic and xenophobic chants, but the message was met with hooting from the crowd.
The Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) in a statement condemned “all types of violence on a football pitch.”
Spain’s national team manager Luis de la Fuente also expressed “total and absolute repulsion towards any xenophobic or racist attitude,” while speaking to the press after the match.
“It is just not tolerable,” he said.
Spain midfielder Pedro Gonzalez Lopez, known as Pedri, also denounced the chants after the match, saying the players were “shocked.”
“We don’t agree to any sort of racist chant. We did not expect it. We all have to work together to stop this from happening in stadiums,” he said.
Spain’s match against Egypt served as a warm-up ahead of this summer’s World Cup, with both sides already qualified for the tournament in the US, Canada and Mexico.