Neymar's charges of racist abuse dismissed
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Brazil's Neymar (center) is tackled by Scotland's Charlie Adam (left) which resulted in a penalty. Neymar scored a brace to guide his team to a 2-0 win during an international friendly match in London on Sunday. |
London police received no official reports of racist abuse at Sunday's friendly international between Brazil and Scotland despite complaints by Neymar that he had been targeted by fans.
Neymar scored both goals in Brazil's 2-0 win and said jeers he received from Scottish fans had been racially motivated.
A Scotland supporters' group has said any jeers were in response to what fans saw as the Santos striker's feigning of injury and the Scottish Football Association joined the Tartan Army in refuting suggestions of racism.
The officer in charge of police at the Emirates Stadium, where the match was played, backed the Scotland fans.
"The Scottish fans' behavior was first class," match commander Mark Sheeran said yesterday.
"There were no issues at all inside the stadium."
Brazilian television channel Sportv reported that a banana was thrown at Neymar, but the SFA said an object was apparently thrown from the North Stand of the Emirates Stadium crowd holding Brazil fans.
The 11,500 members of the Scotland Supporters Club at the match were located in the South Stand.
"The Scottish FA has contacted the Brazilian football federation and the match organizers, Kentaro, to inform them of our information and of our supporters' unhappiness at the unfounded accusations," the SFA said in a statement.
Supporters did jeer Neymar for much of the match, but only after they thought he had feigned injury following an apparently innocuous first-half clash with Scotland midfielder Scott Brown.
Neymar's on-field treatment held up play and he was then slow in making his way to the sidelines as the referee tried to restart play.
