The match between Elche and Espanyol, played on Sunday as part of the 26th round of the Spanish La Liga, was temporarily halted due to the activation of the anti-racism protocol. This action followed a complaint from Espanyol's Moroccan defender, Omar El Helali, who alleged he was subjected to racist verbal abuse by Elche striker Rafa Mir during the game, which ended in a 2-2 draw.
The referee, Ayuso Galic Apistioia, was forced to intervene in the 80th minute of the match, folding his arms and activating the protocol for such incidents after speaking with the Espanyol defender. According to the referee's report, Al-Hilali claimed that the opposing striker said to him, "I came here on a small boat," a reference to migrant boats, although the referee confirmed in his report that none of the other officials heard those words directly.
The match resumed after a three-minute delay, during which the 22-year-old Moroccan defender, born in L'Hospitalet de Llobregat near Barcelona, appeared deeply affected and on the verge of tears. Despite the incident, Rafa Mir managed to snatch a dramatic equalizer for Elche from the penalty spot in the 90th minute, adding to Marc Aguado's goal and responding to Espanyol's brace from Kike García and Carlos Romero.
Rafa Mir, currently on loan at Elche from Sevilla, also faces a complicated situation off the pitch, as he remains under investigation for allegedly sexually assaulting a young woman in a nightclub. His former club, Valencia, only suspended him for two matches and fined him, without dismissing him. This incident comes at a time when Spanish football is struggling to eradicate racism, with Real Madrid's Brazilian forward, Vinicius Junior, being one of the most prominent figures in this fight since 2018.
In an official response, La Liga issued a statement via its X platform condemning any racist acts inside or outside stadiums, without directly mentioning the Elche-Espanyol match. These incidents are recurring in Spanish stadiums despite efforts and legal condemnations, with deterrent penalties rarely imposed except in a few cases.
Elsewhere in the same round of matches, Valencia returned to winning ways with a 1-0 victory over Osasuna. The only goal of the game was scored by Belgian Largie Ramazani from the penalty spot in the 67th minute. With this win, Valencia climbed to 14th place with 29 points, moving further away from the relegation zone, while Osasuna, in 10th place, suffered their first defeat in their last seven league matches.
