Date Published: 23/05/2023
Brazil demands that Spain investigates racial slurs against footballer
Real Madrid’s Vinícius Jr. has reportedly suffered “repeated” racist attacks during his time in Spain
The Brazilian government issued a statement on Monday May 22 condemning “in the strongest terms” the racist attacks that Real Madrid winger Vinícius Jr. “has been suffering repeatedly in Spain”.
Following the latest outburst from fans at Valencia’s Mestalla stadium at the weekend, the player’s home country has asked the Spanish authorities to investigate LaLiga and prevent similar derogatory events in the future.
During Real Madrid’s 1-0 defeat to Valencia, the game’s referee reported that, during a stoppage in play, a spectator pointed at Vinícius and began chanting “monkey, monkey”.
The Brazilian government has criticised the Spanish for failing to “prevent and avoid these acts of racism” and has asked the sports authorities to punish those responsible for what happened Saturday. The Spanish Prosecutor’s Office has opened an investigation into the incident but no arrests have been made.
On his Instagram account, Vinícius Jr. himself claims to have been subjected to “continuous episodes in various cities in Spain" and has reiterated the call to punish the perpetrators.
“Each game away from home is an unpleasant surprise. And there were many this season. Death wishes, a hanged doll, many criminal screams...,” he said.
“It's not football, it's inhumane.”
Back in January, a blow-up doll was discovered hanging from a bridge in Madrid wearing the player’s jersey just hours before the Copa del Rey quarter-final in the Spanish capital.
Se han sobrepasado todos los límites con Vinícius, esto lo hace una afición perdedora, una afición repugnante y un club sin valores.
— REAL MADRID ♥ï¸ (@AdriRM33) January 26, 2023
😡 ¡BASTA YA! #TodosSomosVini ðŸ¤pic.twitter.com/sRRUqCRr6h
The effigy was hung beneath a banner reading ‘Madrid hates Real’ in Spanish, and was quickly considered a violent and possibly racist attack on the star Real Madrid player from Brazil.
Four people have since been arrested in Madrid for hanging the effigy.
🚩Estas son las imágenes de la detención de los 4 arrestados por #delitodeodio contra el jugador de #fútbol @vinijr
— Policía Nacional (@policia) May 23, 2023
Tienen 19, 21, 23 y 24 años. Varios fueron identificados durante partidos de alto riesgo en dispositivos de @policia para la prevención de violencia en el deporte pic.twitter.com/X8jaGrZHRe
“With the Government of Spain and the Minister of Equality, Irene Montero, we are going to ask the Prosecutor's Office to investigate LaLiga. We cannot stay alone in repudiating what happened,” Brazil’s Minister of Racial Equality of Brazil, Anielle Franco, confirmed.
Image: Vinícius Jr. on Instagram
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