By Mishael Emmanuel Spanish La Liga side Rayo Vallecano has defended its decision not to immediately honor Senegalese midfielder Pathé Ciss following Senegal’s historic Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) title, citing respect for victims of a national tragedy. Ciss was part of the Senegal squad that lifted the AFCON trophy last Sunday after defeating Morocco in the final. However, Rayo fans noticed the club did not pay tribute to the midfielder before their 3-1 home defeat to Osasuna, sparking criticism on social media. Spanish media reports revealed that Ciss himself retweeted a post from a fan questioning the club’s silence. In a statement released on Sunday, Rayo Vallecano explained that the decision was taken out of respect for victims of two deadly train crashes that occurred in Spain last week. “It was deemed inappropriate to hold any kind of celebration on a day of mourning,” the club said. “The team wore black armbands and observed a minute’s sil...
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