Nosa Igiebor gives his reaction to racist chanting directed towards him after last night's game against Beitar Jerusalem
After last night's match against Beitar Jerusalem, a small number of fans hurled racial abuse at Nosa Igiebor. Maccabi's Nigerian midfielder responds: "First of all I don't know if they are the fans of Maccabi because I don't think so. The fans of Maccabi were very supportive of Maccabi throughout the game. But you know it's just like a few minority guys, maybe five or six guys. This is what we're talking about in football, we should take racism out of football. And to me that's racist abuse because they were shouting black, you know, and with their fingers, and I reacted to them. That's the best way to react to these guys and for me I'm not sure it's Maccabi fans because they were very supportive. I don't know these guys, I don't know what they were wearing, but they were shouting 'black' and with their fingers and definitely I gave them back what they deserve".
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PvZLLaodmn0&list=UU-oWQqnf8B8a_TsmVi0mTUg
Asked if he was hurt personally Nosa replied: "For sure, what do you think? We all play this game you understand, why should they do it to me, why shouldn't they do it to all my team-mates? I feel it's because I'm black and that's why they're doing it, so I get upset and I give them the same thing". Reminded of a similar incident at his previous club, Spanish side Real Betis, Igiebor admiited: "Yes, I think that happened once. The one at Betis I think they looked into and they gave the guys who did it a fine. And I think the IFA should look into this as well because this is not allowed in football. We went out there, we gave our best. Barcelona lose games, Madrid lose games. So if we lose games, come on, if you call yourself Maccabi fans you have to support us all the way". If the incident were to repeat itself, would he react the same way? "I can't speak for what happens until then, that depends, because this is football. Too much adrenaline and I just can't control it but until then I can't say".
Nosa was also asked if he felt that perhaps these supporters were also reacting to his performances on the pitch: "I've said this before, I don't care if people are happy with my football. If the coach is happy, the manager Jordi (Cruyff), the people who brought me here are happy, so what else? I'm not going to go there and just kill myself. I do what the coach asks me to do and for me the coach is pleased, the people that brought me here are pleased with it, so I go out there every day to give my best. So that's it. It's not hard for me because I'm mentally tough you know. I've seen this before in 2012. The first two or three months it was like this. For me this is nothing". And did he expect to get the full backing of his team-mates as well? "Of course they are behind me because this is not allowed in football. We don't deserve this".
