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Was subject to racist slur by East Bengal fans: Dudu

New Delhi: With the tied at 0-0 in the 85th minute of the closely fought Super Cup quarter-finals tie against Aizawl FC on April 8, Dudu Omagbemi was subbed off by teammate Ansumane Kromah. Fast approaching the dugout, the irritation on the face of the Nigerian striker was palpable as he soon tore off a portion of his white East Bengal jersey.
As both the team pressed intensely for a winner on the pitch, things turned more dramatic in the dugout as an exasperated Dudu can be seen ranting at the crowd.
The incident was soon overshadowed by a late winner by winger Brandon Vanlalremdika that granted East Bengal safe passage to the semi-finals.
However, three days before the last-four knock-out match against FC Goa, Dudu revealed the deplorable incident that transpired that evening.
"I don't understand Bengali much but I do understand when my skin colour was targeted and monkey imitation was made against me that day(on April 8). Every time I missed a chance, East Bengal fans hurled abuses at me," alleged the 32-year-old striker over the phone from Kolkata. "It was an important game for us, but I couldn't focus seeing the way my own fans were treating me. I asked coach (Khaled Jamil) to take me off as I wasn't able to handle fans' behaviour anymore."
The former Mohun Bagan also revealed how he was called black monkey on social media after he came out in open about the racist slur.
"On Facebook, one can see; they call me Black monkey, motherf***r, go back to Finland. I don't understand that why to call me all that and ask me to go to Finland when I am from Nigeria," said a disappointed Dudu.
However, the East Bengal stalwart said the coach and club management have asked him to calm down and be with the team but he is still downhearted about the fact that a club can't control their own fans.
"I previously made up my mind not to play in the semi-finals (of Super Cup) but Khaled and Subhash Bhowmick urged me to stay calm and be with the team as they still count on me. So I will travel with the team tomorrow (on Saturday) to Bhubaneswar. But I still don't understand why the club can't control their own fans," said the frustrated forward.
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