February 06, (THEWILL) – Sevilla have conveyed outrage after club striker Lucas Ocampos was seemingly groped and poked by a Rayo Vallecano supporter during their 2-1 away victory, on Monday. The incident occurred in the 32nd minute as the 29-year-old Argentina international, prepared to take a throw-in. Video footage shows a home fan poking Ocampos from behind in what Sevilla described as an “obscene and completely inappropriate act.”
Both the Ocampos and the club have called on the Spanish football league, La Liga, to investigate the matter and punish the offender. Sevilla’s official statement expressed “disgust at the incident” and stated that such inappropriate behaviour should not be tolerated if La Liga wants to be considered the best league globally. Ocampos himself told the media he hopes the league takes this as seriously as issues like racism.
Rayo Vallecano also released a statement condemning the fan’s actions. They explained that the behaviour was the sole responsibility of one individual and did not reflect the club or its supporters more broadly. Approximately 15,000 home fans attended the Monday night match and had otherwise displayed exemplary conduct. The club is working to identify the specific fan responsible so appropriate disciplinary action can be taken if he is a season ticket holder.
This disturbing incident comes the same week, La Liga launched a new campaign promoting respect and inclusion in football. The #WePlayToBeTogether initiative was created together with Microsoft to tackle discrimination and make stadiums safe spaces. More work needs to be done to eradicate inappropriate acts like the one suffered by Ocampos. With more high-profile cases emerging, La Liga may soon have to get tougher on offenders.
As of 2024, groping or sexual harassment at sporting events can incur fines and bans under La Liga’s disciplinary code. However, some argue punishments remain too lenient. Both Sevilla and Lucas Ocampos hope strong action is now taken by officials over this unacceptable fan behaviour. The club said it had contacted La Liga directly to demand appropriate measures be implemented.
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Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
