Tenth Racial Complaint in Season, Ambassador Summoned, Christ The Redeemer Lights Switched Off
Brazil on Monday denounced the “racist attacks” that Brazilian forward Vinicius Jr. has experienced regularly in La Liga and urged Spanish authorities to prosecute those responsible. This is the 10th time Real Madrid has filed for racial abuse against the Los Blancos star boy.
Table of Contents
Brazil’s Foreign Ministry Involved
Following the most recent incident on Sunday, when racial epithets were flung at the Black top-scoring forward for Real Madrid, the ministry summoned Spain’s ambassador on Monday to explain the issue.
The Ministry considered the gravity of the situation and expressed the Brazilian government’s regrets that no “effective measures” were taken to prevent these acts from happening repeatedly.
According to the foreign ministry, President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva asked Ambassador Mar Fernandez Palacios for details about the incident which led him to call on FIFA and La Liga to take action to prevent the increasing amounts of racism in stadiums.
Dark Night at Christ the Redeemer
In support of the Real Madrid forward, Rio de Janeiro’s famous Christ the Redeemer monument had its lights turned out on Monday night.
The Archdiocesan Sanctuary, the organization managing the Christ The Redeemer Monument, explained the action as a gesture of the collective fight against racism and as a show of support to Vini Jr and others worldwide who suffer from racial prejudice.
Racist Abuse at Valencia Game
Hundreds of Valencia supporters were seen on video singing “Vinicius is a monkey” as the Real Madrid bus pulled up to the stadium in Valencia on Saturday before the game.
The 22-year-old forward, Real Madrid’s second-highest scorer in all competitions this season with 23 goals, called out fans who had yelled racist remarks at him, causing the game to be delayed for ten minutes. Because of his response to the situation, Vinicius Jr. was dismissed.
Tuesday saw the detention of seven persons by the police in connection with multiple alleged hate crimes against Vinicius Jr. of Real Madrid, as Spain’s top football league called for changes to Spanish legislation that would allow it to take action to combat racism in stadiums.
An inflatable effigy sporting the No. 20 jersey of winger Vinicius Jr. was hanging from a bridge in front of the team’s practice facility, prompting the opening of a hate crime inquiry. A 16m (17.5-yard) red and white banner that said “Madrid hates Real” was placed next to it in the colors of the opposing team Atletico Madrid.
According to police, four individuals were detained in Madrid, three of them belonged to “a radical group of Madrid club fans” who had previously been marked as “high risk” during games to help prevent violence.
In Valencia, three men were also detained for disrespecting Vinicius Jr. on Sunday.
Vinicius Jr. urged sponsors and broadcasters to hold LaLiga responsible for the racist abuse, calling it “inhuman” in a social media post.
The Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) declared Valencia’s south stand would be partially shuttered for five games and levied a 45,000 euro ($49,536) fine on the club.
Future at Club Secure?
The manager of the Los Blancos, the most frequent winners of the European Champion’s League, Carlo Ancelotti, stated on Tuesday that despite encountering racial taunts in recent La Liga games, he anticipated Brazilian striker Vinicius Jr. to stay at the Spanish club.
He claimed that despite Vinicius’s “somber” mood, he was overcome by the “unconditional support” he was getting, “even from rivals.”
As for the question of whether the Brazilian prodigy is leaving the club, Ancelloti stated “I don’t think (he will leave La Liga) because he loves football and he loves Real Madrid.” Ancelotti also stated that the star’s love for the club is “very big” and that Vini wants to make his career at Real Madrid.
