Cardiff City have issued a statement after Saturday’s League One game against Lincoln City was called off due to allegations of racist abuse from spectators.
There was an incident in Cardiff v Lincoln (Image: Andrew Vaughan/Getty Images)
Cardiff City have issued a statement after their match against Lincoln City was suspended due to allegations of racist abuse from the stands.
Saturday’s League One match at Cardiff City Stadium was halted for more than three minutes after Rob Street gave Lincoln the lead in the 55th minute, with referee Tom Reeves reporting to both managers about the alleged incident involving a supporter and Imps captain Tendai Darikwa.
Following an internal investigation, Cardiff have issued a statement regarding the matter and the club is attempting to identify the individual who is believed to have made the racist gesture from a seat in the Ninian Stand. They informed the police along with the appropriate governing bodies.
In a statement released on Tuesday, Cardiff said they were “disgusted by this disgusting behavior” during the 2-0 defeat and stressed their “zero tolerance approach” to racism and all forms of discrimination.
Cardiff have appealed to supporters to share any information that may help identify those responsible and encouraged them to come forward to the club while police investigate, Wales Online reported.
read more: Joey Barton arrested for “man injured in face and ribs in Hyton golf club attack”read more: Tottenham are ready to fire captain Cristian Romero even if he remains in the Premier League
“Cardiff City Football Club is working to identify the person who is believed to have made a racist gesture from a seat in Block 116 of the Ninian Stand in the 55th minute of Saturday’s game against Lincoln City,” it said in a statement.
“The club has a zero-tolerance approach to racism and all forms of discrimination. We are committed to playing our part in eliminating racism from the game and from society. Initial reports suggested there may have been a misunderstanding, but after completing an internal investigation and seeking testimony from witnesses, it is our firm opinion that this is conclusively not the case.”
“The club has reported this incident to the relevant governing bodies and South Wales Police. We are appealing to supporters to provide any information regarding the identity of the individual, or to assist the individual in coming forward to the club during the ongoing police investigation.”
“We are disgusted by this disgusting act and the impact it has had on those affected.”
Tendai Darikwa allegedly suffered racial abuse (Image: Chris Vaughan/Getty Images)
The statement continued: “Cardiff City Football Club urges all supporters to always report any suspected discriminatory behavior and, where found guilty, the process will be followed and the perpetrators brought to book. “We would like to remind you that we celebrate and encourage enthusiastic support, but we do not tolerate discrimination, abuse, abusive language or anti-social or threatening behavior. This includes discrimination against any of the protected characteristics listed in the Equality Act 2010.”
“If a supporter experiences anti-social behavior, abuse or discrimination within the stadium, please report it to your local steward or anonymously on 07554 158 Please help us put an end to it by texting 224 or reporting via the club’s ‘Don’t Wait: Reporting Hotline’. It was this hotline that supporters used last weekend to highlight this incident. Subsequent conversations with the complainant helped us locate the perpetrator and strengthen our line of inquiry.
“When reporting, please provide as much detail as possible about the violation. This may include details of the specific seat if applicable, a description of the person involved, and the exact word or phrase where possible.”
“The club is awaiting further dialogue with the Football Association regarding this incident. Match officials initially informed the club that an offense had taken place during the suspension of play, but there have since been further reports of anti-social behavior involving an e-cigarette being thrown at Lincoln City’s goalkeeper.”
