Spanish court starts probe after racial insults by fans

Updated Nov. 16, 2020 7:56 a.m. ET

Associated Press

BARCELONA, Spain (AP) — A Spanish court will investigate complaints against fans of soccer club Espanyol for racial insults aimed at Athletic Bilbao forward Iñaki Williams last season.

Court officials in Barcelona said Monday the court has accepted the complaints against two fans accused of making monkey noises directed at Williams in a Spanish league match in January.

Television images showed Williams, who is Black, confronting the section of Espanyol fans who taunted him after he was substituted late in the game in Barcelona.

Espanyol said at the time that it identified 12 fans who racially insulted Williams, nine of them club members.

The two fans being probed by the court are expected to be summoned to testify.

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