SANTIAGO, Chile (AP) — Argentine defender Matias Manrique has been banned for five matches after calling Ecuadorean defender Giovanny Espinoza a “monkey” in a match last month.
Manrique, who plays for Nublense, said Monday he did not plan to appeal the suspension. Espinoza plays for Chilean club Union Espanola.
Espinoza testified to a league disciplinary panel that Manrique told him several times to “go eat a banana” and “you’re a monkey” in the March 27 game.
In its report, the disciplinary panel said Manrique told them he did not mean the taunts to be racist and said he called Espinoza after the match to apologize.
