Football Fan Who Racially Abused Ghanaian Footballer Inaki Williams Sentenced To Prison

A football fan has been sentenced to a one-year prison term for racially abusing Athletic Bilbao and Ghanaian forward Inaki Williams during a match at Espanyol’s Cornella-El Prat stadium in 2020.

The incident, where prosecutors stated the man mimicked monkey noises and gestures directed at Williams, was the first instance of racial abuse in soccer to be brought before Spanish courts.

In the previous season, Athletic Bilbao’s LaLiga match at Espanyol in February was briefly stopped after Williams, born in Bilbao to Ghanaian parents who met in a refugee camp, reported alleged racist abuse aimed at teammate Maroan Sannadi.

In the Williams case, prosecutors had originally requested a two-year prison sentence.

However, under Spanish law, prison terms under two years for non-violent offenses are typically suspended for first-time offenders, meaning the defendant is unlikely to serve time in jail unless additional offenses occur.

The defendant, whose identity has not been disclosed, also agreed to pay a fine and accepted a three-year ban from attending soccer stadiums, as well as a five-year prohibition from working in education or sports-related professions.

Reflecting on the incident, Williams said at the time he felt saddened by the racist insults, calling them “completely out of order” and stressing that football is a team sport intended to be played in a friendly atmosphere.

A Gentle Reminder: Every obstacle is a stepping stone, every morning; a chance to go again, and those little steps take you closer to your dream.

Nnamdi Okoli