EL MADRIGAL STADIUM: Barcelona's Dani Alves, a Brazilian, faced a racism act during a Villarreal-Barcelona match in Spain on Sunday.
Dani Alves, of Brazilian descent, was lining up for a corner kick when a fan tossed a banana onto the field. As if on cue, Alves picked up the banana, peeled and stuffed most of it into his mouth moments before he took the corner kick.
The Brazil international received an outpouring of support for his response to a racist taunt during a game, while Villarreal issued a lifetime ban to the ticket holder who threw a banana at him .
After the match, Alves said humour was the best way to combat racism in sport. That sentiment has led fellow football players, officials and even political figures from around the globe to respond with solidarity by picturing themselves eating a banana.
Afterward, teammate and countryman Neymar posted a picture of himself on Instagram holding a banana and his son holding a stuffed banana doll. Since then, several other high-profile soccer players including Uruguay and Liverpool striker Luis Suarez, Argentina and Manchester City’s Sergio “Kun” Aguero as well as Brazilian star Marta all posted pictures of themselves with bananas.
