Elche vs Espanyol halted following racism allegation against Rafa Mir
Sunday’s La Liga match between Elche and Espanyol was paused for three minutes after the referee initiated Uefa’s racism protocol following a player allegation.
Protocol activated in Alicante
Referee Iosu Galech Apezteguia stated in his official report that proceedings were stopped in the 78th minute.
Espanyol defender Omar El Hilali alleged that opponent Rafa Mir had directed a racist comment towards him during the second half.
According to Spanish football expert Guillem Balague, the official immediately followed the required guidelines upon receiving the complaint.
Under Uefa regulations, the referee is mandated to suspend play and relay specific details of the incident to the fourth official if a player reports abuse.
Clubs issue statements
Espanyol quickly moved to show public support for the 22-year-old Morocco international.
The Catalan club posted an image of the Spain-born defender on social media accompanied by the message "with you".
La Liga subsequently released a statement condemning "any racist act," adding that hate has no place on or off the field.
Elche acknowledged the gravity of discriminatory acts but urged caution regarding the accusation against their forward.
The hosts noted an "absence of evidence" regarding the alleged comment.
Mir, the player at the centre of the allegation, later scored a 90th-minute penalty to salvage a 2-2 draw for his side.
Wider context of abuse
This incident follows a similar activation of the racism protocol during a recent Champions League fixture involving Real Madrid.
Vinicius Jr reported abuse from Benfica midfielder Gianluca Prestianni during the first leg of a play-off tie.
Although the Argentina international denied the claim, he received a provisional one-match ban from Uefa pending a full investigation.
The Brazilian forward has frequently been the target of discriminatory behaviour during his eight years in Spain.
In May 2025, five individuals received suspended prison sentences for abusing Vinicius in what was described as an "unprecedented" ruling.