A Spanish court has sentenced a soccer fan to one year in prison for racially abusing Carlos Akapo, a former Cádiz defender, during a league match against Granada three years ago. In addition to the prison sentence, the fan has received a 14-month ban from stadiums after being filmed making monkey gestures towards Akapo, a Black player, during the goalless match between Cádiz and Granada in February 2022. Akapo, who is currently playing for the Brazilian club Amazonas, expressed approval of the sentencing on social media.
The court’s decision has been welcomed by La Liga, which initially reported the racist incident to Spanish authorities. In a statement on its social media platform, La Liga stated, “La Liga has been notified of the sentence against the fan who directed racist insults to the player Carlos Akapo during the Granada vs. Cádiz match on Feb. 28, 2022. This closes one of the longstanding cases of racist incidents that La Liga is committed to eradicating from soccer.”
Despite the one-year sentence, the fan will likely receive a suspended sentence as Spanish law often allows defendants without prior convictions to avoid jail time for non-violent crimes with sentences under two years. Akapo, who originates from Spain and represents Equatorial Guinea internationally due to his father’s heritage, shifted from Cádiz to Major League Soccer’s San Jose Earthquakes in August 2022 before joining Amazonas earlier this month.
In response to the court ruling, Cádiz issued a statement affirming their continued commitment to the safety and integrity of their members both on and off the field. The club emphasized their dedication to upholding the values of integrity and equality in society.
