Abuja, Nigeria – (African Boulevard News) – FC Barcelona has strongly condemned the racist insults hurled at its Nigerian player, James Nnaji, during the final of the Spanish Basketball Championship. The Catalan club won the game against Real Madrid on Wednesday night, but the victory was marred by the shameful behavior of some fans.
Nnaji, who joined FC Barcelona last year from Nigeria, was subjected to racial slurs by a section of Real Madrid supporters. The 25-year-old power forward was targeted with monkey chants and abusive language throughout the game.
“We utterly condemn the racist insults that James Nnaji was subjected to during last night’s game,” FC Barcelona said in a statement on Thursday. “We will not tolerate any form of discrimination, and we stand in solidarity with James and all victims of racism.”
The incident has sparked outrage in the international basketball community, with many players and fans taking to social media to express their support for Nnaji and condemn the racist abuse. The Nigerian basketball federation also released a statement denouncing the incident and calling for action to be taken.
“We are deeply saddened by the racist abuse suffered by James Nnaji,” the statement read. “We stand with him and all players who face discrimination on the court. It is time for all of us to speak up and say no to racism in sports.”
This is not the first time that Nnaji has been the target of racial abuse. In March, he spoke out about the discrimination he faces as a black basketball player in Spain. “It’s hard to hear those things, but I have to stay strong and focused,” he said at the time.
The incident has once again highlighted the urgent need for action to tackle racism in sports. While many organizations have taken steps to combat discrimination, more needs to be done to ensure that players like Nnaji can play without fear of abuse.
As the world continues to grapple with issues of racism and discrimination, it is essential that we all stand together in solidarity with victims and work towards a more inclusive future. Sports should be a place of unity and respect, not hate and division.
