Slavia Prague’s excellent Europa League campaign this term have been smeared by a race-fuelled controversy that surfaced in Scotland, but the Nigerian international is convinced that the allegations are far from the actual picture on the ground
Exciting forward Peter Olayinka has defended his Slavia Prague teammates, insisting that, despite the ban on defender Ondrej Kudela, none are racists.
Slavia Prague enjoyed a spectacular Europa League campaign knocking out more illustrious opponents in Leicester City and Glasgow Rangers to reach the competition’s quarterfinals.
Arsenal dumped the Czech champions out of Europe’s second-tier club competition after a 5-2 aggregate win.
But Slavia’s endeavour had been immersed in controversy even before then.
Ahead of the game against the Gunners, defender Ondrej Kudela was hit with a ten-match ban for racially abusing Glen Kamara during last month’s Europa League last-16 tie against Rangers.
Kamara was incensed after Kudela whispered into his ear during a Europa League tie at Ibrox on March 18.
After the incident, a few supporters believed that many Czech players were racists, with one Instagram user attacking Nigerian winger Olayinka for choosing to play among people with disgust for coloured beings.
“Bro, I am proud of you, but I wonder how you have been coping in the midst of these racist players,” one of Olayinka’s Instagram followers posted.
But the Super Eagles forward was classy with his response while making it clear that he would not have stayed long in the country if it was full of racists.
Olayinka, in his reply, wrote: “Ok, bro. But do you believe if they are racists, I will still be in the club for good three years?”
Olayinka moved to Slavia Prague in 2018 from Belgian side Gent and has already won two league titles and a domestic cup with the Czech club.
