Egyptian Football Federation Condemns Racism in Barcelona Stands: No Place for Hate in Football
The Egyptian Football Federation has expressed its full condemnation of what it described as the "despicable racist incident" that took place at Espanyol's stadium in Barcelona, during the friendly match between the Egypt national team and their Spanish counterparts.
In an official statement, the Egyptian Federation affirmed its complete rejection of the racist chants and slogans voiced by some fans in the stands, as well as the lack of respect shown toward the national anthem. It stressed that such behaviour is utterly unacceptable and has nothing to do with the values of sport, calling for a joint effort to eradicate these negative phenomena from football stadiums.
The Egyptian Federation praised the stances taken by the Spanish Football Federation and the Spanish Ministry of Sport, as well as by many football stars in Spain, who voiced their rejection and condemnation of the abuses that occurred during the match.
The statement noted that the Egypt national team delivered a strong performance and proved to be a genuine match for the hosts, as part of its preparations for the 2026 World Cup.
The Federation also emphasised that its president, Hany Abu Rida, in his international capacity, is working in coordination with the International Federation of Association Football (FIFA) and all the relevant bodies to combat racism and discrimination in football, and to prevent such incidents from happening again in the future.
In conclusion, the Egyptian Federation affirmed that this isolated incident would not affect the strong relations it enjoys with its Spanish counterpart, commending the warm welcome extended to the national team's delegation in Barcelona, and stressing that Egypt will always continue to welcome all peoples on its soil, in a spirit of love and peace.
