Summary
23 March 2012
A race row has broken out in Russian football after a banana was thrown at Congolese player Christopher Samba. It happened at the end of a game between Locomotive Moscow and Anzhi Makhachkala. Both clubs are now arguing over which set of fans were to blame.
Reporter
Alex Capstick
Christopher Samba during a Russian League match between Dinamo Moscow and Anzhi Makhachkala.
Listen
Click to hear the report
Report
Christopher Samba signed for Anzhi Makhachkala last month from the English Premier side Blackburn Rovers. A banana landed at his feet after the match against Locomotive Moscow. The player tossed it back into the crowd, for which it's been suggested he could face disciplinary action.
Meanwhile senior officials from the Moscow club have concluded that it was the visiting fans who were responsible for the incident. Anzhi responded by threatening legal action unless the allegations could be substantiated.
Locomotive fans have been seen racially abusing a player before. In 2010, they unveiled a banner displaying a banana, saying: "Thanks West Brom", after the English side had signed the Nigerian striker Peter Odemwingie from the club.
Domestic football in Russia has a reputation for racism. Shortly before the country won the right to stage the 2018 World Cup the Football Union said it was committed to tackling the issue.
Listen
Click to hear the vocabulary
Vocabulary
- signed for
became contracted to
- landed
fell
- tossed it
casually threw it
- disciplinary action
punishment
- threatening
promising to take hostile action
- substantiated
proven with evidence
- racially abusing
insulting someone because of their ethnicity
- unveiled
revealed
- to stage
to host
- tackling the issue
dealing with the problem
