Fifa has opened disciplinary proceedings against the Pachuca player Gustavo Cabral after an incident involving Real Madrid’s Antonio Rüdiger during their Club World Cup match on Sunday.
The referee, Ramon Abatti, activated the anti-discrimination protocol by crossing his forearms in front of his chest five minutes into stoppage time after a brief scuffle erupted after an apparent foul on Rüdiger.
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Madrid’s coach, Xabi Alonso, was asked whether Rüdiger had been a victim of racism. “That’s what Rüdiger said and we believe him,” he said.
Cabral has denied he racially abused Rüdiger, saying he had sworn at him and called him a coward. “It was a fight, we collided, he said that I hit him with my hand and then there was an argument and the referee made the sign of racism … I repeated the same thing all the time,” he said, referring to the verbal abuse used.
