A top division Norwegian ice-hockey player was forced to leave a game early on Sunday after he faced a chorus of racist abuse from supporters of the opposing team.
"I got called 'gypsy kid' and '****ing gyppo' throughout the match. It was pure racism," Tommy Kristiansen, a player for the Stavanger Oilers told Fredrikstad Blad.
Kristiansen walked off the ice before the game was finished, deciding that he would not allow himself to be abused on account of his background.
"They know that I come from a gypsy family, and invective rained down on me throughout the game. It's sad, hurtful, and it does not belong in Norwegian hockey," he told the paper.
Trond Magnussen, the chief executive of the opposing Stjernen team from Fredrikstad said he would to apologise in person to Kristiansen for the behaviour of his team's supporters.
"Racism has no place in either the Stjernen stadium or in Norwegian hockey," he said. "Supporters should concentrate on cheering on their own."
The National Hockey League in the US has had frequent problems with racism, with Wayne Simmonds, one player, having a banana thrown at them, and, and another Joel Ward, being called a '******' by fans of opposing teams over Twitter.
"I got called 'gypsy kid' and '****ing gyppo' throughout the match. It was pure racism," Tommy Kristiansen, a player for the Stavanger Oilers told Fredrikstad Blad.
Kristiansen walked off the ice before the game was finished, deciding that he would not allow himself to be abused on account of his background.
"They know that I come from a gypsy family, and invective rained down on me throughout the game. It's sad, hurtful, and it does not belong in Norwegian hockey," he told the paper.
Trond Magnussen, the chief executive of the opposing Stjernen team from Fredrikstad said he would to apologise in person to Kristiansen for the behaviour of his team's supporters.
"Racism has no place in either the Stjernen stadium or in Norwegian hockey," he said. "Supporters should concentrate on cheering on their own."
The National Hockey League in the US has had frequent problems with racism, with Wayne Simmonds, one player, having a banana thrown at them, and, and another Joel Ward, being called a '******' by fans of opposing teams over Twitter.
Norwegians are also well known liars.
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