While Metz was playing a match in Charleville-Mézières as part of the 15th day of National 2, one of its players, Loïc Akono, was the victim of racist remarks from the stands. There were 2 minutes 30 left to play in the 3rd quarter of the game when the Canonniers de Metz player found himself on the ground with his opponent, Alexis Auburtin, after attempting an interception. A spectator, then present in the first rows of the stands of the Arena de Charleville-Mézières, said to him: “get up, bonobo”.
The 35-year-old then approached the stands after getting back to his feet as he explained on BeBasket: “I go to them saying: “Me, am I a bonobo? Me, am I a bonobo?” ». Faced with this situation, the referee threatens to send him a technical foul. Loïc Akono continues to play before finally leaving the floor and returning to the locker room. The sequence is visible on the images of the meeting which ended normally.
Many reactions in the world of basketball
This incident inevitably caused a lot of talk in the basketball world, which supported the former Nanterre player. This is particularly the case of the current Los Angeles Clippers player, Nicolas Batum, who sent him a word on Twitter: “Strength to you”.
Under Loïc Akono’s tweets, Betclic Élite teams such as Paris Basketball, Limoges and Le Portel also supported the leader. The Metz club appealed to the Federation so that the incident be mentioned on the match sheet, which was not done by the referees during the meeting.
