A new episode of racism has once again splashed Spanish football which, once again, is in the spotlight of the Old Continent. And, again, with the same protagonist and victim in equal parts. Vinicius Junior. Yesterday, the Real Madrid footballer experienced a sad new chapter of racist insults during the white club’s visit to Mestalla. The reactions did not wait, both from his country of origin and from any corner of the planet, and the world football has come together and turned to cover the brazilian and show your unconditional support.
And it is that, since 2021, there have been up to ten racist and hate incidents in which Vinicius has been a victim in Spanish football. By the way, These complaints were archived or are still in progress in the courts and in terms of disciplinary measures, no club has suffered any total or partial closure of its stadium. Empty reprisals. Even so, Real Madrid has not remained silent and has taken a new step forward. Through a statement, it announced the decision to go to the State Attorney General’s Office with a new complaint in hand. They have not been the only ones, since the Association of Spanish Soccer Players (AFE) and the Movement against Intolerance have done the same before the hate crime and discrimination area after the racist insults by the Valencian fans about the Brazilian.
Thus, the ball is now in the court of the Valencia Prosecutor’s Office, which has already initiated investigative proceedings ex officio and which has a very recent precedent. On September 18, 2022, in the league match between Atlético de Madrid and Real Madrid, Vinicius received racist insults from the rojiblanca fans in the outskirts of the Cívitas Metropolitano Stadium. In that situation, a group “of about 500 people who could not be identified” they congregated in the players’ access area upon arrival of the white club’s bus where they dedicated offensive chants against the ’20’.
“You are a monkey, Vinicius you are a monkey!”. A performance that was condemned both by both teams and by the Anti-Violence Commission and that ended up in the hands of a Madrid Prosecutor’s Office that chose to look the other way. In those, the Prosecutor’s Office decided to archive the case. Although he described such expletives as “nasty” and “disrespectful”, he ruled that they were poured into a context of “maximum rivalry” and that they only “lasted a few seconds” together with other “derogatory” or “mocking” allusions marked by the sporting competition. In addition, he ruled that these insults “Nor would they constitute a crime against the dignity of the affected person.”
These allegations were precisely described by Esteban Ibarra, president of the Movement against Intolerance, as “outrageous” in a interview granted to AS. “They archived it because they said they could not identify the perpetrators of the screams, because the club has to collaborate there, the police go deeper, the security company … Everyone has to collaborate and at the moment they identify themselves ten, fifteen, twenty or whatever they are will take away everyone else’s desire. The allegation that these insults lasted a few seconds is outrageous,” he said.
In this case, the consequences have not been long in coming and Valencia, through a statement, has issued the decision to take drastic measures against the fans who used racist insults against Vinicius being banished for life all those involved. With the Che club taking the first step in a new racist episode, now it will be the turn of the Prosecutor’s Office who must deliberate the situation and make a final decision.