Following the defeat of the Costa Rican soccer team, Deportivo Saprissa, by Real Esteli of Nicaragua in the quarterfinals of the 2023 Concacaf Central American Cup, Costa Rican fans shouted xenophobic insults against the full-back of the Nicaraguan team, Oscar Acevedo.
The insults were evidenced in videos that went viral on social networks, where users condemned the xenophobic actions against the “Tren del Norte” football player.
«It’s just a game, pure shit, just a game that you won, you’re a mamapi (…), in your country they are suffering from hunger, I hope they don’t stay in Costa Rica… I hope a rottweiler eats you,» They were part of the insults that some Costa Rican fans shouted, as heard in the video.
Despite the grievances, Acevedo remained calm and simply greeted the Real Estelí fans. Subsequently, the player was accompanied by stadium security agents to avoid possible physical attacks by xenophobic fans of the Costa Rican club.
Saprissa apologizes
Deportivo Saprissa issued an official statement in which it repudiated the xenophobic insults, committing to take measures against this type of acts. Likewise, in its message, the Costa Rica team assures that they have already found those responsible for the events and apologized for what happened to the Real Estelí Club and the entire Nicaraguan community in Costa Rica.
🇳🇮🇨🇷 El equipo de fútbol de Costa Rica, @SaprissaOficial , emitió un comunicado oficial tras los ataques xenófobos de fanáticos de su barra contra jugadores del nicaragüense @realestelifc pic.twitter.com/hck9eJ5lyh
— JP+ Centroamérica (@jpmas_ca) October 5, 2023
The statement issued by the football organization detailed: “Deportivo Saprissa strongly condemns the xenophobic insults uttered (…) towards one of the players of the Real Estelí team, after finishing the quarter-final series at the Ricardo Saprissa Stadium, by a group of fans who in no way represent our values.”
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Likewise, in written statements he assured that he had already identified those responsible through collected images and videos. In that sense, the sports institution assured that this will be used «to apply forceful measures against these people who dirty football.»
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“We will not tolerate any type of xenophobic or discriminatory demonstration in our stadium,” cited the Costa Rican team’s statement, in which it also stated that “this attitude does not represent the values and culture of the Costa Rican people,” said the Saprissa sports club.
