Nigerian international Ebenezer Akinsanmiro who is currently on loan with Sampdoria from Inter Milan, was victimized by a section of Brescia supporters with racist chants and monkey noises being hummed at him on the night of Sunday, January 12, 2025 at the Stadio Mario Rigamonti.
The former Remo Stars midfielder was seen on camera in a retaliating gesture, mimicking a monkey dance following racial abuses targeted at his direction during an Italian Serie B match between Brescia and Sampdoria.
According to Corriere della Sera, it was reported that the disgusting act started almost immediately after kick-off, with audible ‘boos’ teeming at the 21-year-old throughout the early stages of the game.
Minutes far gone into the first 45 minutes, the uproar was causing so much discomfort that the stadium announcer had to repeatedly addressed the home fans to halt their barbaric behaviour, warning that the match could be suspended if the racist chants continued.
Just after Sampdoria took the lead through Coda at the berth of the 30-minute mark, the situation became more tensed when the Lagos-born football star reacted to the opening goal, celebrated by mimicking a monkey gesture towards the offending home fans.
This action led to a yellow card from the referee and also fueled the hostile atmosphere in the stadium. As the match progressed, the condition on the pitch became repellently frightful for the Nigerian youngster, with several rough tackles aimed at him.
Leonardo Semplici, Sampdoria’s Coach, had only one safer choice but to substitute the young player towards the break to protect him from potential incidents or disciplinary action.
As Akinsanmiro left the pitch, he sarcastically applauded towards the stands, a final act of defiance against the abuse he had endured. In the post-match interview, Brescia’s Coach Pierpaolo Bisoli made controversial comments that further intensified the situation.
Bisoli bluntly denied the fact that he “hadn’t heard anything” regarding the racist chants, despite the stadium announcer’s continuous interventions and criticism.