– It hurts – VG

– It hurts that this happens in 2020, says a distinguished Amahl Pellegrino to VG on the bus from the Color Line stadium in Ålesund to Kristiansund.

He says that after the game there was a group of fans behind the goal shouting “monkey” and applauding him. Pellegrino says this was repeated four or five times.

– It’s sad when there are so many leaders on the side and they listen, but they don’t know what to do. That they stand and stare hurts. They don’t have enough balls to kick those people out or say no, says Pellegrino, who is the top scorer in the Elite Series.

– What did you do when you heard that?

– I returned the applause and said they were clowns. If it hadn’t been for the fact that Christian (Michelsen) stopped me, I probably would have gone up. For me, it’s the worst thing to do, says the 30-year-old.

He goes on to say that he’s happy that someone from the club approached him after the screaming and apologized from the club. Club media manager Jonatan Arvidsen-Osvik was one of those who complained to Pellegrino.

– I was the one who went to Pellegrino and apologized on behalf of the club. Once again, on behalf of the club, I would like to deeply regret that you had an unpleasant experience. This will not be the case in 2020, Arvidsen-Osvik tells VG.

Here are the television images showing Christian Michelsen holding Pellegrino:

Arvidsen-Osvik and event director Kristin Herve Nørve confirm that what Pellegrino claims was called and that it was called twice. They also claim that a person was behind the screams. Aalesund has so far failed to identify Aalesund’s follower, but they emphasize that they want to know who he is.

Herve Nørve adds that the racist calls are a violation of the club’s stadium regulations. However, he notes that Pellegrino provoked Aalesund fans by going against him and looking for them, while clapping his hands.

– He clapped and provoked. But we don’t tolerate racism, he says.

Aalesund Football Club managing director Geir S. Vik was slightly ill and stayed home when the teams met. He was still aware of the incident when VG spoke to him after the match after receiving reports from club employees that they were at the match.

– If something offensive has been said, I would like to apologize on behalf of the club’s fans. We completely distance ourselves from everything when it comes to bullying, says Vik.

VG continues with Pellegrino’s version of the incident, and then enrages Vik.

– Completely unacceptable behavior. I will contact the support group myself and listen to an explanation. I apologize from the whole club to Pellegrino.

The club’s fan coordinator, Carl Inge Aasehaug, has also heard that there must have been a situation, but is not sure what exactly happened.

– I know the case, but I have to do a review with different followers to know what has happened, says Aasehaug to VG.

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