In a recent incident that has sparked outrage in the football world, LaLiga confirmed that they will be reporting to Spain’s prosecutors’ office regarding the “deplorable racist chants” aimed at Real Madrid forward Vinícius Júnior. The chants, which referred to Vinícius as a “chimpanzee,” were reportedly heard from a group of Atlético Madrid supporters outside the Metropolitano stadium before a Champions League game against Inter Milan.
LaLiga expressed its strong commitment to ensuring that football remains a space free of hate and discrimination. Despite the incident taking place outside the stadium, LaLiga has decided to report the chants to the prosecutors’ office specializing in hate crimes. This proactive stance showcases LaLiga’s dedication to relentlessly pursuing any form of racism, homophobia, violence, and hatred within the sport.
In response to the racist abuse, Vinícius Júnior took to social media to address the issue and called on UEFA to take action. The Brazilian forward, who has been a target of racist attacks in Spain since his arrival five years ago, urged the governing body to consider appropriate punishments for such behavior. Additionally, Brazil’s Football Confederation and government have urged Spanish authorities to address the ongoing issue of racism against Vinícius.
This is not the first time LaLiga has had to deal with incidents of racism towards Vinícius Júnior. The league has filed multiple complaints against opposing fans for racist insults and chants directed at the player. In a previous case, three individuals were accused of making racist remarks towards Vinícius during a league game, highlighting the persistent nature of the issue.
Recognizing the need to address racism beyond stadium incidents, LaLiga unveiled a system to monitor hate on social media platforms as part of its fight against racism. President Javier Tebas admitted to the shortcomings in detecting racism problems in Spanish football earlier and emphasized the league’s continued efforts to combat such behavior.
As part of the ongoing campaign against racism, Spain is set to host Brazil in an international friendly at Real Madrid’s Bernabéu stadium on March 26. The match aims to raise awareness of racism in football and emphasize the importance of unity and inclusion within the sport.