The Dutch football association has condemned the actions of an Ajax fan who lynched an effigy of Feyenoord’s black goalkeeper Kenneth Vermeer during Sunday’s match between the two teams.

Bert van Oostveen, director of professional football at the KNVB, described the incident as ‘appalling’ and ‘unacceptable’ in an interview with Nos and called on supporters’ associations to step up their efforts against hooligans.

Pictures shared on social media showed a figure wearing a football shirt bearing Vermeer’s name hanging by the neck from a stand occupied by Ajax supporters. The club said the individual responsible had been banned from the Amsterdam ArenA and faces a criminal investigation.

Vermeer filed a police complaint after the match and told television interviewers he had seen the figure, but declined to comment further. The 30-year-old was also the target of hostile chanting during the match, prompting club officials to use the loudspeaker system to ask fans to stop.

‘I’ve seen and heard enough, but these things are on the fringes,’ Vermeer told Nos after the game. ‘You hear these things but you can’t let it distract you. What should I say about it? Not so much.’

Third incident

Vermeer was signed by Feyenoord from Ajax in the summer of 2014, having begun his career as a teenager with the Amsterdam club.

Van Oostveen said he was concerned about the worsening atmosphere at and around football matches since Christmas. Two weeks ago ADO Den Haag supporters directed monkey chants at Ajax’s black midfielder Riechedly Bazoer, while last weekend Feyenoord midfielder Marko Veijnovic received death threats at his home in front of his family.

‘We’re all talking about a scandal, but today we saw 50,000 people stand by and watch as somebody walked in with an effigy,’ Van Oostveen told Nos Radio 1. ‘That’s why I want to talk to supporters’ associations about how we can turn this around. We have a collective responsibility.’

Ajax coach Frank de Boer said the treatment of Vermeer was ‘very disappointing’. ‘He’s one of our former players who always gave 300 per cent for the club, since he was in the youth team. Support your own team instead of doing this. I’m pleased with the stadium ban.’

Idiots

Feyenoord’s captain Dirk Kuijt added: ‘It’s a few idiots. They need to be banned and given as little attention as possible.’

A spokesman for world football body Fifa told DutchNews.nl that legally speaking, the incident is first and foremost an internal matter for the KNVB.

‘Speaking in general terms, Fifa wants to reiterate its firm, zero-tolerance stance against any form of discrimination and racism as enshrined in the FIFA statutes,’ the spokesman said.

‘There must be no space for racism in football and Fifa keeps appealing to the football community to unite and use their voices to eradicate racism and discrimination from football and society, and to enforce the regulations put in place.’

Wow, bizarre uiting in de Arena richting Kenneth Vermeer.. Enig verstand lijkt ver te zoeken. #ajafey pic.twitter.com/Gxfp6sKo0R

— Dimitri Koopman (@DimitriKoopman) February 7, 2016