SPANISH POLICE HAVE arrested a spectator suspected of hurling a banana at Barcelona’s Brazilian defender Dani Alves, a slur that sparked a worldwide anti-racist uproar.
“The person has been detained,” a police spokesman told AFP without giving further details.
A fan threw a banana onto the pitch near the 30-year-old Brazilian international as he was about to take a corner during Barcelona’s away match against Villareal on Sunday night.
Alves won praise for his reaction, picking up the banana to take a bite before getting on with the game and setting up a goal in Barcelona’s dramatic come-from-behind 3-2 victory.
The incident sparked worldwide indigation, with Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff and FIFA president Sepp Blatter joining the anti-racist condemnation.
Villarreal said they had identified the fan who threw the banana, withdrawn his club membership and permanently banned him from their ground.
Dozens of players have also shown their support to Alves by posting pictures eating bananas on social media sites over the past couple of days.
