The Russian Federation of Volleyball reported this Monday that he suspended the coach of the Lokomotiv team from Kaliningrad, Andrei Voronkov, for two years for a racist offense against the Cuban player Ailama Cesé Montalvo, who played the current season with Uralochka-NTMK from Yekaterinburg.
“The suspension only applies to the events of the Russian Volleyball Federation, but we cannot prohibit him from being a coach,” said the secretary general of that body, Alexander Yariomenko, according to a statement. report from the agency Latin Press (PL).
The federation stated that the decision was made unanimously. In this way, Voronkov cannot take the athletes to the field, although the sanction can be appealed by the affected person before the Federation’s arbitration body within 10 days, the media outlet specifies.
federation of #Volleyball appreciates Russian position in the Ailama Cesé case. We are pleased to perceive the support, solidarity and firmness that your institution has shown in the face of our proposals, says the letter sent. #volleyball #Cuba https://t.co/SOdoDSWUZI pic.twitter.com/F9Be5f9A65
— JIT Cuban Sport (@jit_digital) May 22, 2022
On May 12, during a timeout in the decisive match of the final series of the championship of Russiastarring Uralochka and Lokomotiv, Voronkov, incriminated a volleyball player from his team, to whom he demanded: “Why don’t you block that monkey?”, referring to the Cuban Cesé.
The moment was captured by cameras and the video spread through social networks very quickly, accompanied by strong comments rejecting the fact. The Uralochka, upon learning of the words directed towards the Cuban player of his team, demanded that the Lokomotiv technical director apologize, he recalls PL.
According to the agency, the Russian Volleyball Federation reported that its disciplinary commission requested that Voronkov be disqualified for up to two years. He also stated that the coach refused to apologize to the Cuban and admit his guilt.
Ailama Cesé, who arrived in Russia in 2019 with a contract that expires this summer, assured after the game that the insult had not affected him at all, although he criticized Voronkov’s lack of professional ethics.
Cuban volleyball player Ailama Cesé: “I like my color and I am proud to wear it on my skin”
“I know who I am, I like my color and I am proud to wear it on my skin. I’m not ashamed of it. I like people for what they have in their hearts and for what they are capable of transmitting in everything they do, not because of their skin color, nationality or whatever, “she wrote to her followers on the Internet.
On May 20, the Lokomotiv board met publicly apologized for the fact, but Voronkov refused to comment on that situation. Uralochka, meanwhile, said that they expected a personal apology from the coach and not from the club, something that has not happened so far.
