Cardiff City Investigates Alleged Racist Gesture at Lincoln Game
Cardiff City is actively working to identify a supporter believed to have made a racist gesture during their League One match against Lincoln City on Saturday.
The club was initially informed of the alleged incident by match officials during a stoppage in play.
Following the match, Lincoln City manager Michael Skubala disclosed that there were
"allegations of racist comments"directed at Lincoln captain Tendayi Darikwa by a Cardiff City fan.
In a statement released on Tuesday morning, Cardiff City said:
"Initial reports had implied that there may have been misinterpretation, but having completed an internal investigation and sought witness statements, it is our firm opinion that this is definitively not the case."
The Welsh club confirmed they have reported the incident to the relevant governing bodies and South Wales Police. They have also appealed to supporters to assist in identifying the individual involved.
The statement further added:
"We are disgusted by this repugnant behaviour and the impact it has had on those affected.
The Club has a zero-tolerance approach to racism and all forms of discrimination. We are committed to doing our part to eliminate it from our game and society."
Match Outcome and Incident Details
Lincoln City secured a 2-0 victory at Cardiff City Stadium, overtaking the Bluebirds at the top of the League One table.
The match was paused for four minutes following the opening goal, during which referee Tom Reeves consulted with both teams' dugouts.
In a post-match interview with BBC Radio Lincolnshire, Lincoln manager Michael Skubala stated:
"There were allegations of a supporter making racist comments to Tendayi Darikwa.
We have to follow the due processes.
The referee did everything right, he went straight to Tendayi and then spoke to us. Tendayi was happy to carry on, but now it goes up higher.
There is no place at all for it in the game - from fans, players or anyone.
Hopefully we can get to the bottom of it. The referee was very professional, did the right job and hopefully we can sort this out."
When asked about the incident after the game, Cardiff head coach Brian Barry-Murphy commented:
"The referee said there was an incident involving the supporters and the captain of Lincoln when they scored.
They said it would be dealt with after the game."
The referee is expected to submit his end-of-game report to the Football Association (FA), which will then decide if any further action is necessary.
Context and Additional Reports
This incident follows a recent charge by the FA against Cardiff City after some of the club's fans allegedly directed homophobic chants at Chelsea during a match last month.
Cardiff City has stated that they are awaiting further communication with the FA regarding that matter.
Additionally, the club revealed there was a separate report of anti-social behaviour during Saturday's match, involving an object being thrown at the Lincoln City goalkeeper.
Player Profile
Lincoln City captain Tendayi Darikwa has earned 14 international caps representing Zimbabwe.
