Tricastin third row Brahima Koita filed a complaint on Tuesday after being targeted by monkey cries in Savoie during a Fédérale 1 match last Sunday.
French rugby is once again confronted with its demons. A case of proven racism shakes up the oval this week. The third row Brahima Koita denounced this Tuesday on social networks, with supporting videos, the monkey cries coming from the stands which explicitly targeted him last Sunday, during the Fédérale 1 meeting between Tricastin (Drôme) and the US Montmélian (Savoie), counting for the 8th day.
The third row was getting closer to a teammate on the pitch when he heard monkey cries coming down from the stands, realizing to his great dismay that they were coming from the mouths of young teenagers, led into horror by an adult, according to Brahima Koita.
Supported at the end of the match by other stunned supporters, the third row trained at AC Bobigny rushed to retrieve the images when he learned that the meeting was broadcast on the social networks of the Savoy club US Montmelian. Images that he made it a point to publish to support a press release published on X and Instagram where he “firmly denounces racist cries”.
Top 14 players revolted
“I realized it immediately. I decided to ignore it, to stay focused on my match despite the anger,” he explained to BFM Marseille this Wednesday. “I told myself that it was cowardly of the supporters who did this to do it, behind my back no less, when I had turned around. I told myself that I had to stay focused on my match so that I don't get carried away by my emotions.”
“That there are somewhat harsh words at the edge of the pitch are things we are used to, but it is the first time in my life that I have heard monkey cries. It is quite brutal and violent,” the 22-year-old told Le Parisien.
The reactions from the world of rugby and many personalities from the Top 14, however, comforted him: “It makes me extremely happy because I have quite a few friends at the high level who were revolted by the video.” Notably Christian Ambadiang (Castres) who is also a victim of racism. It was in 2021, during a Pro D2 meeting.
Contacted by US Montmélian who promised to take the necessary steps to find the culprits, before announcing in a press release the opening of an internal investigation, Brahima Koita for his part went to the gendarmerie this Tuesday to file a complaint. An appeal was also filed with the Federation.
“I think we need to find these people, quite simply so that justice is done, that they face their behavior and their actions and that they answer to the competent authorities,” he demanded on BFM Marseilles.
