The Ugly Part of the Beautiful Game: Mame Diouf's Brother Attacked

The beautiful game has a horrid alter ego that keeps peering its ugly face.

The highly anticipated Manchester derby took place early last Saturday. It was branded as one of the most important Manchester derbies of all time.

Manchester United knew anything other than a win would have gifted the Premier League title to Chelsea. Manchester City knew that Tottenham were hot on their tail for the final Champions League spot.

The match itself did not live up to the quality that was on show from the three previous Manchester derbies that took place this season, but once again drama took place in the final minutes of the encounter.

The Manchester City fans were counting down the seconds until full time. Late into injury time Paul Scholes, as he has done for so many years, made a late run into the box and stuck his head onto a cross, and found the bottom corner of Shay Given's goal.

Paul Scholes' goal gave Man United a 1-0 win, and third victory over City this season. It also kept United's hopes of retaining their title hopes alive, and hindered City's push for forth place.

But the ugliness was not the lack of quality on the pitch during the Manchester derby, but the actions of a select few Manchester City fans, that tarnish the reputation of not only their team, but the league and sport as a whole.

Abdul Biram Diouf, brother of Manchester United striker Mame Biram Diouf, was assaulted outside the grounds after the game by a group of Manchester City fans.

He was wearing his brother's Carling Cup Final jersey, which brands the number which was formally held by Carlos Tevez during his tenure at Old Trafford.

Eyewitnesses reported the Abdul Biram Diouf was punched and kicked before being thrown into a bush after taking a wrong turn coming out of the City Of Manchester Stadium.

The so-called fans where also heard chanting "Munich" at Diouf, in relation to the 1958 Munich air disaster which cost eight people their lives.

Jim Solbakken, the agent of Mame Biram Diouf, announced that Abdul was "attacked from behind" by a group of city fans. He also said that "fortunately there was no need for medical treatment and Abdul got away without any serious injuries."

This disgusting act was just one of many that lead to 20 arrests after the game due to other unrelated innocents.

During January's Carling Cup semifinal tie between these two clubs, Craig Bellamy was struck by a coin, and also had a bottle thrown at him while on the ground.

Other missiles such as golf balls and darts where also found on the pitch after the game.

These disgraceful acts committed by "fans" bring the reputation of their club, country, and of the sport as a whole down.

Football is a passionate sport, but there is passion and then there is blatant stupidity. Any person who calls themselves a fan of the game should not be involved in bringing the sport to such an ugly level.

Football is filled with rivalries that have been set in stone many years ago, but these rivalries should be sorted out with a ball and 22 players over 90 minutes, and that is where they should stay.

Football as a whole need to act to eradicate this filthy parasite that is tarnishing the sport.