Espanyol identify fans after ‘exhaustive video analysis’Football has values to defend, says club’s vice-presidentThe Spanish first division club Espanyol will ban 12 supporters after they were identified as having subjected Iñaki Williams to racist abuse during a match against Athletic Bilbao on Saturday. The club have also passed their report on to local
police in case there is a legal case to answer, with the football authorities proposing tougher measures against abuse in stadiums.
Williams was heading towards the bench having been substituted with 20 minutes remaining, leaving the pitch behind the goal Athletic were attacking, when he heard noises from the stand. At one point, he paused and could be seen to mutter “sons of bitches”. As he reached the bench, he told teammates that he had heard monkey chants. Footage caught by a camera positioned on the touchline and shown on television that evening clearly picked up the chants as Williams passed the corner flag.