Dutch FA to speak to Vitesse about racist chanting

Andre Onana in action against Vitesse on Sunday. Photo: VI-Images via HH

The Dutch football association KNVB is to look into reports that Vitesse fans made monkey noises directed at Ajax keeper Andre Onana during their match last weekend.

The investigation followed a video on YouTube in which the sounds can be heard clearly behind the Ajax goal, where hardened Vitesse fans were sitting. The part of the video with the noise has now been removed but the KNVB has the original recording, website Nu.nl said.

‘Racism has no place in the stadium and must be tackled,’ the KNVB said on Twitter on Tuesday. ‘The KNVB has approached Vitesse to take steps.’

Nu.nl said the KNVB will decide on the basis of the clubs and the referees reports whether to start a formal investigation.

A spokesman for the Arnhem club told the Telegraaf that ‘unfortunately’ a small group of people had ‘audibly misbehaved’. ‘There is no room for this sort of behaviour in our stadium. We will try and identify the perpetrators via the video,’ a spokesman said.

Last year ADO Den Haag was fined €10,000 after fans were involved in racist chanting and directed monkey noises at Ajax midfielder Riechedly Bazoer. All 21 fans identified on the video were given a nationwide stadium ban.

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