Il célèbre en se tenant les parties intimes et se fait exclure après intervention du VAR: l'improbable carton rouge reçu par un joueur sénégalais au Maroc
The year 2026 promises to be just as eventful between Moroccans and Senegalese. A little less than five months after a heated final at the 2026 AFCON held in Morocco, and while the Atlas Lions and Senegal await the verdict of the Court of Arbitration for Sport on the identity of the tournament winner, a Senegalese player made headlines this Wednesday during a clash in the Moroccan league.
Scoring the only goal in Berkane's 1-0 victory over Raja Casablanca, which propelled his team to second place in the standings with eight matches remaining, Paul Valère Bassène engaged in an obscene celebration. The 23-year-old striker grabbed his genitals while giving a mocking look to the crowd. The referee initially failed to react to his gesture, but VAR intervened, asking him to review the incident on the sidelines.
Sent off moments later after the referee reviewed the video, Paul Valère Bassène eventually left the pitch without contesting the referee's decision. Fortunately for the Senegalese striker, his team managed to hold off Raja Casablanca despite being down to ten men late in the game. Paul Valère Bassène later posted an apology on social media.
"To the Moroccan Football Federation, my club RS Berkane, Raja Club, and all football fans and supporters, I offer my sincere apologies for my celebration, which was deemed excessive, following my goal in the match between RS Berkane and Raja CA," the player stated in a post on his Instagram account. "My gesture was absolutely not intended to offend anyone. It was simply an expression, in the heat of the moment, of the warrior spirit that drives us on the pitch—a way of saying that we fight like men, with commitment and determination. Nothing more."
A mea culpa that unfortunately did not prevent him from being subjected to a barrage of racist messages on social media after his high-profile celebration. While Paul Valère Bassène did not hesitate to criticize his detractors, calling them "cowards" and "idiots" in another post, the Senegalese player also reiterated his commitment to certain values.
"However, I understand that this gesture could have been misinterpreted, and I take full responsibility for that. Football is first and foremost a sport of respect, and I shouldn't have let the intensity of the moment get the better of me in this way," the 23-year-old player added when apologizing for his obscene gesture. "I reaffirm my commitment to the values of fair play and mutual respect, and I pledge to be more mindful of my behavior on the pitch in the future."
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