FIFA probing Pachuca’s Cabral after Rüdiger racism allegation

FIFA said on Tuesday that it had opened disciplinary procedures against Pachuca player Gustavo Cabral following an incident involving Antonio Rüdiger from Real Madrid during their club world club match on Sunday, which caused the anti-discrimination protocol.

“Following an assessment of the match reports, the FIFA disciplinary committee opened procedures against the FF player Pachuca Gustavo Cabral in connection with the incident of Him and Antonio Rüdiger from Real Madrid during the FIFA club World Cup match played in Charlotte on June 22,” FIFA told Reuters.

The referee of the Ramon Fouatti match activated the anti-discrimination protocol crossing his forearms in front of his chest five minutes after a brief fight broke out after an apparent fault on the German International Rüdiger.

Asked at a post-match press conference if Rüdiger had been the victim of racism, the Real Madrid coach, Xabi Alonso, said: “This is what Rüdiger said, and we believe it.”

FIFA did not specify the nature of disciplinary action.

Cabral denied having racily abused the Madrid defender.

“There was nothing racist. I called him” chickens — “as we say in Argentina, that’s all,” Cabral told journalists in Spanish after the match.

Reuters’ information was used in this report.