Newcastle v Sunderland suspended over racist chants, then resumed

Newcastle (England), 22 March (LaPresse/AP) – The Premier League match between Newcastle and Sunderland was suspended for several minutes due to racist chants and abuse directed at Lutsharel Geertruida (Sunderland) in the second half. “Racism has no place in our sport, nor in any other part of society. We will continue to work with stakeholders and the authorities to ensure our stadiums are an inclusive and welcoming environment for everyone,” the English Football League said in a statement, announcing the launch of an investigation. The match, incidentally, had been preceded by moments of tension between the two sets of supporters outside St James’ Park – documented by numerous videos shared online – which led to the arrest of one person. After the suspension, the match resumed, with Sunderland emerging victorious from their away trip (2-1) thanks to a late goal from Brian Brobbey.