By Eurohoops team/ info@eurohoops.net
Game 3 of the ACB Finals are being played right now, but an important aspect came out before the tipoff in the WiZink Center, as the 18-year-old Nigerian center James Nnaji was the victim of racism in the team’s arrival in Madrid.
As can be heard in video footage grabbed outside of the arena in the Spanish capital, FC Barcelona’s young player was called “dog” and “son of a b***h” by a Real Madrid fan. And while the sound is not clear, some of the insults sound like he is called “black”.
It has to be noted that the whole team received insults, but as soon as Nnaji came out of the team’s bus, racist slurs were also heard. During the 2022-23 football season, Real Madrid fans have shown their support to Vinicius Jr., the victim himself of racism abuse.
After the game with Barcelona winning the championship title, coach Sarunas Jasikevicius commentated on the issue: “I want to talk about what happened with James Nnaji. It’s unfortunate, it can’t be. I hear a lot about Vinicius and now we have to talk about what’s happening. This has to stop now, this doesn’t go with Real Madrid’s values. The truth is that we have to be very angry. This can’t be, I don’t care if he’s a player for Real Madrid, Barcelona or any team, this can’t be. We have to fight for this and we’re going to fight for this. It’s more important than the title. I haven’t talked to him, he was wearing headphones. I don’t know how he is, it’s something that is very serious and when it happens to your people they are more sensitive. We love James very much, if we want this to stop we have to talk about this”.
L’arribada del Barça al Wizink pic.twitter.com/V6GgMEydp8
— Ernest Macià 🎙🎧 (@ernestmacia) June 20, 2023
Barca demands a ‘solid, exemplary response’ from the league
Beyond pregame and postgame Tuesday, the Catalonia giant issued a press release on Wednesday.
“FC Barcelona totally condemns the racist insults aimed at its basketball player James Nnaji prior to the third game of the Liga Endesa final series against Real Madrid.
Having informed the organizers of the competition of the events, the club expects a solid, exemplary response from the ACB against any racist or verbal abuse of players.”