Etienne Vaessen has published a lengthy statement on FC Groningen's website about the events during and after the Nations League match between Guatemala and Suriname (1-0).
Tensions boiled over on Monday night into Tuesday during the match between Guatemala and Suriname. The home side snatched a 1-0 win in the closing stages after referee sent off Richonell Margaret.
Footage of Vaessen spread quickly on social media after the final whistle, showing him clashing with several Guatemala players and officials. He also made an obscene gesture towards the crowd as he left the pitch.
On his club FC Groningen's website, he explained his behaviour. “I should have been sensible and should have walked away. But I stood up for my team-mates and I think that is very human. As a person, you are vulnerable when injustice is done and no action is taken against it.”
Vaessen says the players and staff of both countries had agreed to walk straight off the pitch after the match because of the racism. There was even brief talk of stopping the match. Guatemala's players had also apologised during the game for the behaviour of their fans.
That changed when the country won the match in stoppage time. “They scored the winner shortly before time and after the final whistle they still went over to thank the crowd at length, and when we went over to confront them, they called us a ‘shit country’ and pushing and shoving broke out. We should have kept ourselves under control and stayed away from this situation, but unfortunately we did not manage to do that.”
“We were provoked from the very first minute and the most terrible racist things were shouted at us. It was as if we were playing football in a cage from which we could not escape,” Vaessen said.
Vaessen ends by saying he is happy to be back at Groningen. Next Sunday, Groningen are away to Excelsior in Rotterdam.