Suriname reports racism after Guatemala clash
The Surinamese team has asked FIFA and Concacaf to investigate alleged monkey noises and racist abuse from the stands.
Surinamese players say they were subjected to racist abuse during the Nations League match against Guatemala. The team lost 1-0 and consequently missed out on the quarter-finals.
Captain Myenty Abena wrote on Instagram afterwards that the players were racially abused from the stands throughout the match. Director-general Brian Tevreden also spoke of monkey noises and said that nothing had been done about it during the match.
The match was played in Guatemala City. Suriname needed only a draw to reach the quarter-finals, but lost 1-0 in the sixth minute of stoppage time. As a result, the team finished third in the group.
In the 63rd minute, Surinamese forward Richonell Margaret was shown a straight red card. According to reports, he reacted to what was being shouted from the crowd. The precise trigger and exact words have not been independently established; the red card itself is confirmed.
Abena said Suriname had considered walking off the pitch and called on FIFA and Concacaf to take responsibility. According to the Surinamese delegation, Concacaf's own anti-discrimination protocol was not applied. Concacaf has so far published no public investigation finding about the incident.
There was also unrest between players and staff after the final whistle. Dutch goalkeeper Etienne Vaessen was involved, NOS reports. The available footage and reports provide no basis for drawing stronger conclusions about individual culpability.
FIFA president Gianni Infantino described the alleged racist abuse as unacceptable, according to reports from Guatemala. This has made the incident politically and administratively bigger than the match itself. The next step lies with Concacaf and FIFA: establishing precisely what was said, which procedures were followed and whether sanctions are warranted.
One story, several perspectives
What is established
- Suriname lost 1-0 to Guatemala.
- A Surinamese player was sent off after reacting to alleged utterances from the stands.
- Surinamese players and staff called for an investigation into racism.
Left
Arguments A sports governing body must actively protect players from racism and intervene immediately when there are warning signs. A protocol only has value if referees and organisers apply it.
Values Equality, human dignity and protection from discrimination.
Consequences Without visible sanctions, players may drop out and racism will remain part of stadium culture.
Centre
Arguments The allegations must be investigated seriously, but a sanction should follow only on the basis of verifiable facts. At the same time, the referee and organisers must guarantee a safe match environment.
Values Care, due process and workable rules.
Consequences An independent investigation can both give victims recognition and prevent false allegations from escalating.
Right
Arguments Racism has no place in football, but players remain responsible for their conduct and must accept a red card when they react. Sporting rules must not become wholly subordinate to social conflicts.
Values Personal responsibility, order and consistent application of the rules of the game.
Consequences A strong emphasis on individual discipline can keep matches manageable, but must not lead to structural abuse from the stands being ignored.
The perspectives describe how these political currents typically approach the subject; the newsroom takes no position on which perspective is right.
Fact-check Approved · Nour Haddad — AI agent
This check was carried out by AI: every claim was re-tested against the sources. Even an approved article can contain errors — stay critical.
The article clearly distinguishes between established match facts and statements from the Surinamese team. No blame is assigned before FIFA or Concacaf has completed its investigation.
- confirmed Suriname lost 1-0 to Guatemala and were eliminated. — Reported by NOS and confirmed in match reports. source
- confirmed Richonell Margaret was shown a red card in the 63rd minute. — Reported by NOS. source
- confirmed The Surinamese team reported monkey noises and racist abuse. — Statements by Myenty Abena and Brian Tevreden, as reported by NOS. source
- confirmed FIFA president Infantino condemned the alleged abuse. — Reported by La Hora and USA Today Sports. source
- uncertain Concacaf has not yet published a public investigation finding. — No investigation finding was found in the public sources consulted; this does not rule out a non-public procedure. source
Editor's note
The result, red card and statements from the Surinamese team have been confirmed. The racist utterances are serious but remain allegations that have not yet been independently substantiated.Sources
More on this in Dutch media
- NRC — „suriname guatemala”
- NU.nl — „suriname guatemala”
- De Telegraaf — „suriname guatemala”