Aron Dønnum‘s appearance in the Ligue 1 meeting with Le Havre on Sunday could lead to the Norwegian national team profile being punished. A disciplinary process has been initiated.
It is the major newspaper L’Equipe which confirms that the gesture Toulouse pro Dønnum made towards an opponent will be the subject of further investigations.
It is the ethical council of French football (CNE) that has decided to ask the French league’s disciplinary committee to look into the matter.
– I have consulted the members of CNE. Here there is at least a suspicion of a racist gesture, says the ethical council’s president Frédéric Thiriez to L’Equipe.
The newspaper further writes that in cases such as the one that arose on Sunday, it is up to the ethics council to refer the case to the disciplinary committee. The latter will then decide whether a breach of the ethical regulations has been committed.
NTB has sent an inquiry to the French league with questions about what consequences the case could potentially have for Dønnum, so far without receiving an answer.
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At the same time, several are coming out in defense of the Norwegian national team member. Both Joshua King and Warren Kamazi have posted statements of support for Dønnum on Instagram. So have several players in the Toulouse environment.
Critical Le Havre coach
The situation that has made big headlines in France occurred in overtime in the second half on Sunday. Dønnum was then tackled irregularly by Le Havre player Simon Ebonog, and there was a spark between the players.
Dønnum said something, and Ebonog said something back. The Norwegian then waved his hand back and forth under his nose.
Le Havre coach Didier Digard reacted strongly in the seconds after the episode. After the end of the match, he more than hinted to Ligue 1+ that the hand gesture Dønnum made was racist.
At the press conference after the match, Digard was not as categorical.
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– If the gesture was not racist, then what was it? he said, adding that the behavior of Dønnum cannot be accepted anyway.
Defended Aron Dønnum
The Norwegian national team profile, on the other hand, strongly agreed that he should have behaved racistly.
– I thought he wanted to fight. Then I smelled his breath. I made the move because it smelled bad. It has nothing to do with racism, I don’t understand why they say that. “Maybe I shouldn’t have done that to someone, but instead of going into a confrontation like I usually do, I did it and turned away,” he told L’Equipe on Sunday night.
– I get sad, very sad. It is very unpleasant to have to explain this to me. I don’t know what to say, I’m just sad, Dønnum said further in the same interview.
He then pointed out that he was brought up in an environment with people from many nations.
– It is madness to call me a racist, said the Norwegian.
Toulouse moved out on Sunday evening at X with a statement condemning “the unfounded and serious accusations” against Dønnum.
(©NTB)
