Dani Alves' racial abuser arrested by Spanish police
If found guilty, the fan who threw a banana at Barcelona defender Dani Alves triggering a racial slur, could face a maximum of three years in prison.
Spanish police on Wednesday said they have laid criminal charges against a football fan for throwing a banana at Barcelona defender Dani Alves, a slur that has sparked a global storm of anti-racist protest.
The Spanish authorities arrested the young man on Wednesday, two days after the ugly incident put racism in Spanish football under a harsh spotlight, unleashing condemnation worldwide including from Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff and FIFA president Sepp Blatter. (Must read: Frustrated Neymar says "we are all monkeys)
The suspect, who has been named and pilloried on social media but has not been identified by the authorities, was charged on the same day with an offence against civil rights and liberties before being released, a police spokeswoman said.
If found guilty, he could face a sentence of up to three years in prison.