Villarreal fined $16K for banana incident involving fan

Dani Alves was supported by celebrities and fellow athletes on social media for the way he responded to the incident. (David Ramos/Getty Images)

Spanish soccer club Villarreal was fined the equivalent of $16,000 on Wednesday for a fan who threw a banana at Barcelona's Dani Alves in April as he was about to take a corner, according to a report from the Associated Press. 

The fan, 26-year-old David Campayo, threw it onto the field on April 27 during the team's La Liga match at El Madrigal, a 3-2 loss vs. Barcelona. Alves picked up the banana, took a bite and then tossed it before proceeding with the corner kick. Campayo was subsequently banned for life from attending events at the stadium.

In an interview after the game with Brazil's Radio Globo, Alves called Spain's approach to racism "backward."

A Villarreal spokesman in a Reuters report on Wednesday said the club accepts the fine:

"We have accepted the 12,000 euro fine," a Villarreal spokesman told Reuters. "The federation were though pleased with the quick and positive action that the club took by identifying the fan."

CREDITOR: Host Brazil announces World Cup roster; Neymar headlines squad, Kaka left out