This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.theguardian.com/football/2014/may/07/dani-alves-villarreal-barcelona-racism-banana

The article has changed 3 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 1 Version 2
Villarreal fined €12,000 for banana thrown at Barcelona's Dani Alves Villarreal fined €12,000 for banana thrown at Barcelona's Dani Alves
(about 2 hours later)
Villarreal have been fined €12,000 after a supporter threw a banana at Barcelona's Dani Alves, according to reports in Spain. Villarreal have been fined €12,000 by the Spanish football federation after a fan threw a banana at Barcelona's Dani Alves during last month's La Liga match at El Madrigal, the club said on Wednesday.
The Brazil defender's decison to eat the banana as he took a corner during the match on 27 April provoked widespread support from players on social media using the hashtag "We are all monkeys". But despite considering imposing a punishment that would have seen part of Villarreal's El Madrigal stadium closed, the Spanish Football League's competition committee has instead decided to impose a fine after the club banned the supporter responsible. The penalty comes after widespread support from celebrities and public figures for the Brazil defender, who picked up the banana and took a bite as he prepared to take a corner during the match on April 27. Alves later told Brazil's Radio Globo that Spain was "very backward" in its approach to racism.
Villarreal responded quickly by banning the supporter for life but the club have now been fined by the federation as Spanish football tries to clean up the game's image. That aim was not helped by allegations last weekend from Levante's Senegal midfielder Papakouly Diop who complained of racist abuse by visiting Atlético Madrid supporters.
"We have accepted the 12,000 euro fine," a Villarreal spokesman told Reuters. "The federation were though pleased with the quick and positive action that the club took by identifying the fan."