In 18 years on the court, this is the first time he has heard something like that. And it was already too much. Sunday, during a National 2 basketball match between Charleville-Mézières and Metz, Lorraine leader Loïc Akono (35) decided to leave the field after being the victim of a racist insult from a spectator. .
“When I was on the ground, a spectator said very harsh words to me: ‘Get up bonobo,’ he said. the newspaper The Ardennes after echoing this sad streak on Twitter. Behind, when I wanted to give my feelings to this person, the referee threatened me with a technical foul and I quickly made the decision to leave the floor. It’s a shame to come to this in 2023, but I couldn’t stay on this ground. »
Loïc Akono, former Pro A player, was supported after the meeting by his coach. “I hope it will go back to the Federation so that it does not happen again”, reacted the technician, Yoseri Bouallègue. Local club president Luc Torres went to the locker room after the game to apologize to him. “I haven’t heard these words and neither has the referee, but if they are true, I of course strongly condemn them, because they have no place in a basketball court, or anywhere else. ‘elsewhere’, explained the latter in The Ardennes.