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Referee Halts Elche–Espanyol Over Racism Allegation as Mir Nets Late Equalizer

The league's anti-racism protocol now routes the allegation into a formal report to authorities.

Overview

  • Referee Iosu Galech stopped the match after Espanyol’s Omar El Hilali reported a racist insult by Elche forward Rafa Mir.
  • The competition’s protocol was activated, requiring the incident to be documented and communicated to the competent authorities.
  • The report followed an aerial challenge involving Mir and Leandro Cabrera, after which El Hilali informed the referee of the alleged slur.
  • Play resumed with Mir on the field, and he converted a stoppage-time penalty to seal a 2–2 draw.
  • Espanyol posted public support for El Hilali with a “Contigo” message, as the case fed ongoing scrutiny of racism in Spanish football.