Amadou Samb, a Gzira United player, was victim to racial insults from the goalkeeper of Latvian club FK Ventspils during Thursday’s Europa League clash between the two teams, the club president said.

Initially reported by NET Television’s Replay, it emerged that Samb – who hails from Senegal – was racially insulted by Ventspils goalkeeper Kostyantyn Makhnovskyi, with the Ukrainian being sent off at the end of the match as a result.

Samb, who only returned from a long term injury last week, was also sent off, despite having been subbed off during the match, for retaliating to the racial remarks, and Replay reports that a fight between the two teams was only averted with the intervention of Gzira United club officials.

Replay also revealed that the Latvian club has sent a letter to Gzira United with the intention of putting pressure on them to declare that the incident did not happen and that there were no such racist comments passed by their goalkeeper. 

This news was confirmed by Gzira United President Sharlon Pace when contacted by The Malta Independent, who also said that the club is not ready to accede to such a request and has in fact reported the matter, and the letter, to UEFA.

Gzira produced a spirited display against their Latvian opponents, with two goals from Jefferson Assis leading the club to a credible 2-2 draw at the Centenary Stadium.  This was however not enough to overturn the 4-0 deficit that the club suffered in the first leg in Latvia.  The aggregate result brings to an end an historic European run for the club, after they shocked Croatian team Hajduk Split, beating them 3-1 in their own stadium to make it through the first round of the Europa League qualifiers.

Photo Domenic Aquilina