Espanyol Fan Accepts Plea Deal for Racial Insulting of Iñaki Williams

An Espanyol fan has accepted a plea deal to avoid prison time after being accused of racially insulting Athletic Club forward Iñaki Williams during a LaLiga match five years ago. On Wednesday, a court in Barcelona announced that the unnamed fan would receive a one-year prison sentence, but under the terms of the deal, he will not serve any jail time. Additionally, he has accepted a three-year ban from all football stadiums and will pay a fine exceeding €1,000 ($1,165).

The incident occurred in January 2020, during a match between Espanyol and Athletic Club that ended in a 1-1 draw. After being substituted, Williams was subjected to derogatory monkey sounds and gestures from the stands. Prosecutors initially sought a two-year prison term for the fan, who was one of several individuals who targeted Williams, who is Black, as he walked past the Espanyol supporters.

In a statement, Espanyol confirmed that they had identified 12 fans who were involved in the racial abuse directed at Williams. Following the match, television footage showed Williams confronting the section of fans responsible for the insults.

The case against the fan is part of a broader issue within Spanish football regarding racism in stadiums. Earlier this year, during a league game at Espanyol, the match was interrupted due to racist chants directed at Williams’ teammate, Maroan Sannadi. The referee invoked the anti-racism protocol, halting play approximately 20 minutes into the first half.

On a related note, significant strides have been made in addressing racism in Spanish football. In May, five fans from Valladolid were convicted of racially insulting Real Madrid forward Vinícius Júnior, marking the first ruling in Spain to classify such insults as a hate crime. Additionally, last year, three fans from Valencia received eight-month prison sentences after admitting guilt in a separate case involving racially charged insults directed at Vinícius, demonstrating a growing intolerance for racism within the sport.

In a recent statement, Nico Williams, the younger brother of Iñaki Williams, revealed that he faced similar racial abuse during a match in Madrid against Atlético Madrid, where he was subjected to “monkey” shouts while taking a corner kick. These incidents underscore the ongoing challenges of racism that persist in football, prompting calls for more robust measures to combat discrimination in the sport.

The actions taken by the courts and clubs illustrate a concerted effort to address racial abuse, but the journey towards eradicating such behavior from football remains ongoing.