Ivory Coast footballer Diarrassouba Hassane faces abuse and assault by spectators during a football tournament in Kerala

Diarrassouba Hassane Jr, a footballer from Ivory Coast, had a traumatic experience when he faced abuse and an assault in Kerala's Malappuram district.

Hassane came to Kerala to take part in the tournament where he played for Jawahar Mavoor FC, a renowned Sevens club. Hassane had to endure racial abuse and attack from the crowd during a five-a-side match.

Recalling the horrifying incident, Diarrassouba Hassane said that he tried to turn a deaf ear to the crowd. However, the situation worsened when Hassane got hit by a rock on his back.

The footballer said that after confronting the section of the crowd, he had to face severe assault.

"Fans near the corner flag resorted to vile racial slurs, calling me a black monkey. Despite my attempts to ignore the provocation, the situation escalated when a rock was hurled at the back of my head while returning from taking a corner kick. I confronted the abusers, only to be met with a collective assault from the crowd," Hassane was quoted as saying as per The Bridge.

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"Came here to pursue my passion and earn a livelihood" - Diarrassouba Hassane Jr

After facing hostility from the crowd, Hassane said that he came to Kerala to play his favorite sport and not to face racism and abuse. He insisted that footballers from Africa come to India to build a career in sports.

“I came here to pursue my passion and earn a livelihood, not to endure racial discrimination. Many African players, like myself, come to these tournaments with hopes of a better future," he added.

To get the situation under control, the tournament organizers intervened and moved the Ivory Coast footballer to safety. The players, in the meantime, have also filed a police complaint and intend to involve the Ivory Coast embassy as well.

The entire incident has raised questions over the safety and security of African players in India.

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