East Kilbride manager Mick Kennedy has called for a police investigation into allegations of racist abuse towards midfielder Joao Balde after his side’s penalty shoot-out victory over Airdrie in the SPFL Trust Trophy.
The Lowland League champions sent the holders spinning out of the competition on penalties after a 1-1 draw at the Albert Bartlett Stadium.
The victory was marred by allegations of a supporter walking to the front of the stand and calling East Kilbride’s Portuguese midfielder Joao Balde a ‘black b******.’
Insult was added to injury when incensed visiting striker Cammy Elliott was booked for remonstrating with the abuser as he fled, pursued by a steward.
In a club statement, East Kilbride called on Championship side Airdrie to deal with the matter ‘appropriately and thoroughly’, claiming the Diamonds had ‘initiated an investigation into the matter’.
Calling for the authorities to look into the latest allegation of racist abuse to blight the Diamonds, Kennedy said: ‘At the final whistle our fans were at the far end and the players and the staff made our way down to celebrate with them.
Airdrie are understood to have opened an investigation into the alleged racial abuse
East Kilbride manager Mick Kennedy has called on the authorities to get tough on racism
Lisbon-born Balde has played for a host of clubs across Scotland's lower divisions
‘What we assume was an Airdrie fan came down to the very front of the stand and started shouting profanities. Within that he called Joao Balde a “black b******”.
‘A few of our players reacted and he then turned and walked back to the stand steps to leave. One of the stewards said he would deal with it and ran after him.
‘Joao was shocked and disappointed. I think his team-mates took it worse than Joao himself. Cammy Elliott was actually booked because of his reaction to what happened.
‘I think football has done a hell of a lot of work over the years to try and manage this issue and anyone identified behaving like this needs to be dealt with robustly.
‘My own opinion is that the police should be called in to deal with it. After we scored the winning penalty, another fan ran on to the pitch and tried to attack John Robertson. A steward had to pull him back and it was all a bit unsavoury at the end.’
In November 2022, former Airdrie player Jose Quitongo lost a race discrimination case against the Lanarkshire club.
Quitongo claimed he was racially abused by an Airdrie fan during a game with Queen’s Park in September 2021.
The club carried out an investigation but it was subsequently dropped due to ‘insufficient evidence’.
The defender said the club failed to investigate properly and claimed he was the victim of racial discrimination.
During the employment tribunal, Airdrieonians denied the allegations and disputed further claims that an element of its support had a history of racism.
Earlier this month, an Airdrie fan who did a Nazi salute during a game against Partick Thistle was banned from football matches for four years.