Suriname files CONCACAF complaint over alleged racist abuse in Guatemala
Key Points(5)
- The complaint was filed immediately after Suriname’s 1-0 defeat at Estadio Manuel Felipe Carrera, a result that ended its Nations League campaign in third place in Group B and denied the team a place in the quarterfinals.
- However, Suriname’s general manager, Brian Tevreden, made clear that the allegations were a separate and serious matter that the association would have pursued regardless of the result.
- He described the spectators’ conduct as “absolutely unacceptable” and criticized match officials for failing to intervene despite repeated efforts to bring the alleged abuse to their attention.
- Officials alerted, but no action taken Tevreden said he approached the match commissioner several times during the contest after becoming aware of racist behavior from spectators.
- He expressed shock that no action was taken in response to his concerns, arguing that football authorities must enforce the safeguards already established to combat discrimination.
The Surinamese Football Association (SVB) has lodged an official complaint with CONCACAF over alleged racist abuse directed at its national team by spectators during Monday’s Nations League match against Guatemala, demanding stronger action from football’s governing bodies to confront discriminatory behavior in the stands.
The complaint was filed immediately after Suriname’s 1-0 defeat at Estadio Manuel Felipe Carrera, a result that ended its Nations League campaign in third place in Group B and denied the team a place in the quarterfinals.
However, Suriname’s general manager, Brian Tevreden, made clear that the allegations were a separate and serious matter that the association would have pursued regardless of the result.
He described the spectators’ conduct as “absolutely unacceptable” and criticized match officials for failing to intervene despite repeated efforts to bring the alleged abuse to their attention.
Officials alerted, but no action taken
Tevreden said he approached the match commissioner several times during the contest after becoming aware of racist behavior from spectators.
He expressed shock that no action was taken in response to his concerns, arguing that football authorities must enforce the safeguards already established to combat discrimination.
The general manager also rejected any suggestion that the complaint was motivated by Suriname’s elimination from the competition.
“Because of the loss, it might look less good, but if we hadn’t lost on Monday and had reached the quarterfinals, we would have lodged a protest as well,” Tevreden said.
He pointed to a similar incident last year, when Suriname defeated El Salvador 2-1 but subsequently raised concerns about racism from the stands.
“We did the same last year after beating El Salvador 2-1, where racism also echoed from the stands,” he said.
‘Cannot continue to turn a blind eye’
Tevreden called on CONCACAF and FIFA to take a firmer stance against racist conduct, distinguishing ordinary hostility toward visiting teams from abuse rooted in racial discrimination.
“[CONCACAF and FIFA] cannot continue to turn a blind eye to these kinds of practices. Home fans booing the opponent might be part of the sport, but it goes much too far to do so with monkey noises.”
His remarks underscored the SVB’s concern that existing anti-racism measures are failing to prevent incidents or deliver consequences strong enough to deter repeat offenses.
Tevreden argued that established protocols must be applied meaningfully rather than allowing allegations of discriminatory abuse to pass without adequate scrutiny.
Questions raised over effectiveness of sanctions
The Suriname official also questioned whether financial penalties alone were sufficient to address the problem, citing the sanction imposed on the Salvadoran federation following last year’s incident.
“...Those protocols exist for a reason. The international federations need to stop sweeping this idiotic behavior in the stands under the rug. The Salvadoran federation got away with a fine of less than 60,000 US dollars last year. But surely that doesn’t solve the problem,” he said.
The SVB’s complaint now places the alleged conduct during Monday’s match before CONCACAF, as Suriname seeks accountability beyond the disappointment of its elimination.
For Tevreden, the central issue is whether football’s governing bodies will move beyond established procedures and financial penalties to ensure that racist abuse in stadiums is confronted decisively.
