A supporter was arrested for reportedly making racist gestures and noises toward Kylian Mbappé during a game featuring Real Madrid against Real Oviedo last month, according to Spain’s National Police.
Real Madrid clinched the game at the Estadio Carlos Tartiere with a score of 3-0 on August 24, where Mbappé himself scored two goals.
On Wednesday, authorities announced that they had identified a person making monkey noises and gestures after studying TV footage of the crowd during the 37th-minute after Mbappé’s opening goal.
The incident was reported to LaLiga after the match, leading to the individual’s detention and questioning, and the case has now been passed to prosecutors specializing in hate crimes.
The penalties for this offense can reach up to three years in prison, along with a fine that ranges from €60,000 to €650,000 (approximately $70,000 to $762,000), coupled with a ban from the stadium.
In recent seasons, LaLiga has taken stronger actions against racist behaviors in stadiums, especially after incidents targeting Vinícius Júnior at Valencia’s Mestalla Stadium in 2023, which resulted in prison sentences for three offenders.
Earlier this month, a fan from Espanyol was found guilty of a hate crime for racially abusing Iñaki Williams of Athletic Club back in January 2020, marking the first official case of its kind reported by the league.
ESPN has reached out to LaLiga for additional comments.
