2023-05-24 03:02:38
Accused of laissez-faire in the face of racism in football, the Spanish authorities tightened the screw on Tuesday, two days following new insults uttered once morest Brazilian star Vinicius Junior. Seizure of an investigation for “hate crime”, a criminal category including racist crimes, the Spanish police arrested three young people suspected of “racist behavior” during Sunday’s match in Valencia, where the Real Madrid striker was targeted with insults and monkey cries.
These three young people aged 18 to 21, arrested thanks to the collaboration of the Valencia club, were placed in police custody and then “released” pending legal action, a spokesperson for the club told AFP. police. The latter said it was continuing its investigation “to identify other alleged perpetrators”.
A video published on Tuesday by the television channel La Sexta shows that a large number of supporters also sang racist chants (“Vinicius, you are a monkey!”) when Real Madrid players arrived at the Valencia stadium, before the game.
Read also: The Spanish Championship “has a problem with racism”, denounces Carlo Ancelotti
Additional sign of firmness: the police announced on Tuesday that they had arrested four other people, including three members of a group of ultra supporters, in the investigation into the hanging of a mannequin bearing the image of Vinicius on January 26, day of a derby won by Real Madrid once morest Atlético Madrid. This model had been found hanging from a bridge in the Spanish capital, under a banner bearing the inscription “Madrid hates Real”. After this incident, Real Madrid had denounced a “racist act” and “repugnant” once morest its 22-year-old player.
The Spanish Football Federation reacts
Also eager to act, the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) indicated, for its part, that it had suspended the video referee of the match between Valencia and Real Madrid, marked by multiple incidents, who will be replaced in his duties when of the next day of the championship.
Nacho Iglesias Villanueva is accused of having provided the main referee only with the images of the gesture which earned Vinicius a red card at the end of the match, failing to broadcast those of the Valencia player, Hugo Duro, guilty of a gesture resembling to a choke once morest the Brazilian.
Later in the evening on Tuesday, the Federation announced that Vinicius would not be suspended following his red card, but instead a stand at the Valencia stadium would be closed for five games and the club would also be fined of 45,000 euros.
A wave of international outrage
Regular target of racist attacks since his arrival at Real Madrid in 2018, Brazilian international Vinicius Junior stepped up to the plate on Sunday evening in a message on Instagram to express his fed up.
“It wasn’t the first time, nor the second, nor the third. Racism is normal in La Liga. Spain is a beautiful nation, which welcomed me and which I love, but which agreed to export the image of a racist country throughout the world. I’m sorry for the Spaniards who disagree, but today in Brazil, Spain is known as a country of racists.”
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The insults towards Vinicius have aroused numerous condemnations abroad and in Spain, where the presence of racism in stadiums and part of society has long been denounced by players and anti-racist associations, who consider the problem insufficiently addressed. seriously.
La Liga powerless
Most Spanish media have called for stronger action. “It is not enough not to be racist, you have to be anti-racist”, wrote in white letters on a black background the sports newspaper Brandin a forum in One of its edition. “Basta ya” (that’s enough), titled for its part The sports world.
“To condemn is not enough anymore,” Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti told reporters on Tuesday. “The institutions have an opportunity now to take drastic measures on this important subject,” insisted the Italian technician.
Pointed out for its supposed laxity, La Liga defended itself by indicating that it lacked the power to sanction. She assured to have transmitted eight complaints to justice this season for attacks once morest Vinicius, remained for the most part and at this stage without effect.
In a press release, the Spanish government announced that it would offer the Federation as well as La Liga an “awareness campaign” aimed at supporters. “Spain fights these behaviors, condemns them and does everything to eradicate them,” insisted the spokesperson for the left-wing government, Isabel Rodriguez.
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