Racing Santander FC stage strike at the start of match over 'months' of unpaid wages
Sunday, February 2, 2014 @ 8:37 PM
RACING Santander FC called a protest on the pitch as the quarter finals of the King's Cup against Real Sociedad kicked off.
The Cantabria-based team has not been paid in 'months', say players and coaches, who formed a human chain, arm in arm around the centre circle without moving after Sociedad kicked the ball to start the match.
Midfielder Javi Soria said it was 'a shame' they had been forced into drastic action which effectively cost them the match – even though Sociedad was 3-1 up by then – and that they 'just want to get back to playing as normal' and make Racing Santander 'the best possible'.
They had already warned of their strike in a press release unless Racing chairman Ángel Lavin and the board of directors resigned.
The team, which is in the third division – the first being La Liga, or The League – warmed up as usual but once on the pitch, left fans open-mouthed as they stood stock-still while Sociedad kicked the ball around for a few minutes before the referee declared the match over.
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