Wednesday, April 30, 2014

Alves banana thrower arrested

DANI-ALVES MADRID, April 30- Spanish police said Wednesday they had arrested a spectator suspected of hurling a banana at Barcelona’s Brazilian defender Dani Alves, a slur that sparked a worldwide anti-racist uproar.


“The person has been detained,” a police spokesman told AFP without giving further details.


A fan threw a banana onto the pitch near the 30-year-old Brazilian international as he was about to take a corner during Barcelona’s away match against Villareal on Sunday night.


Alves won praise for his reaction, picking up the banana to take a bite before getting on with the game and setting up a goal in Barcelona’s dramatic come-from-behind 3-2 victory.


The incident sparked worldwide indigation, with Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff and FIFA president Sepp Blatter joining the anti-racist condemnation.


Villarreal said they had identified the fan who threw the banana, withdrawn his club membership and permanently banned him from their ground.




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