Christopher Samba, Ex-Blackburn Defender, Has Banana Thrown At Him In Russia

Ex-Rover Samba Racially Abused In Russia

Christopher Samba has spoken of his disgust at a banana being thrown at him during a game in Russia.

The Congolese defender signed for Anzhi Makhachkala from Blackburn in February, but bore the brunt of a racial insult during the team's away match at Lokomotiv Moscow.

Anzhi have branded the incident as "idiotic" and released a statement which said: "We are assured that representatives of ... Lokomotiv will settle this issue and the guilty will be identified and punished.

"The club's Security Department is currently studying the videos and is collecting the comments of eyewitnesses of the incident."

Russian Football Union chief Sergei Fursenko informed reporters: "The incident with Samba was simply outrageous and I've instructed our ethics committee to look into this."

Samba has a banana tossed at him:

Samba, meanwhile, told the Anzhi website of how upset he was at what happened. He stressed: "I'm very upset that such misconduct took place in view of children who were sitting on those very stands."

Lokomotiv Moscow supporters have been embroiled in racial-related controversy before. In 2010 they displayed a banner bearing a banana which read "Thanks West Brom", after Nigerian Peter Odemwingie was sold to the Black Country club.

However, the RFU denied the gesture was racially motivated.

"In Russia 'to get a banana' means 'to fail a test somewhere'," said then director general Alexei Sorokin at the time.

Russia will host the 2018 World Cup, a move which was met with much opprobrium due to the country's inherent problem with racism.

Another Anzhi player, ex-Real Madrid left-back Roberto Carlos, was twice the victim of banana attacks at Saint Petersburg and Samara last year.

Close

What's Hot