THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) — The Dutch soccer club AZ Alkmaar says U.S. striker Jozy Altidore was the target of racist chants during a Dutch Cup game.
AZ soccer director Earnie Stewart told Dutch television at halftime “it is terribly sad that this can happen for those involved and for lovers of football in the Netherlands.”
AZ was playing a quarterfinal against second-tier FC Den Bosch on Tuesday. According to AZ’s official twitter feed, referee Reinold Wiedemeijer wanted to stop the match in the first half because of “jungle sounds chanted at Altidore.” But AZ players, including Altidore, who is black, persuaded him not to.
According to the Dutch Eredivisie official Twitter feed and Dutch news website Nu.nl, Wiedemeijer halted play briefly in the second half because of fans throwing balls of ice at his linesmen.
Altidore scored one goal in AZ’s 5-0 victory.
