Spanish Media Ignores Racist Abuse Against Hakimi, Says He Will Face Sanctions

Marrakech – Moroccan footballer Achraf Hakimi may face sanctions from the International Olympic Committee (IOC) following his actions in the Olympic semi-final match against Spain on Monday, the Spanish sports newspaper Mundo Deportivo reported yesterday.

The Paris Saint-Germain right-back allegedly refused to speak to the media after Morocco’s 1-2 defeat, which the newspaper claims violates IOC regulations requiring at least one player to address the press post-match.

“Achraf Hakimi dreamed of putting Morocco in the first international final in their history. And he seemed to have a special desire to beat Spain,” Mundo Deportivo writes, suggesting Hakimi had a particular motivation to defeat Spain.

The article goes on to accuse the 25-year-old of trying to destabilize Spanish players, including his PSG teammate Arnau Tenas, and claims his actions angered both the Spanish team and fans.

However, the Spanish media outlet fails to address the torrent of racist abuse Hakimi has faced on social media following the match.

After expressing his disappointment with the result but determination to win bronze on Twitter, the Moroccan captain was targeted with monkey and pig emojis as well as other degrading imagery in the comments of his post.

This is not the first time Hakimi has been subjected to racism during the Olympic tournament. He also received insults from Argentine fans following Morocco’s 2-1 victory over Argentina in the group stage.

Tensions flared between Hakimi and Spanish goalkeeper Tenas during Monday’s match, with Mundo Deportivo reporting that several Spanish players mocked Hakimi’s signature “penguin dance” celebration after the game.

Spanish striker Samuel Omorodion, who taunted Hakimi on social media, was also targeted with racist hate according to Spanish media.

While Mundo Deportivo focuses on potential punishment for Hakimi, it neglects to properly address the unacceptable racist abuse directed at the Moroccan star.

As the Atlas Lions prepare to face Egypt for the bronze medal tomorrow, the Moroccan people stand behind Hakimi and condemn the hateful attacks he has endured throughout the tournament.