The insults to Vinicius during the match between Valencia CF and Real Madrid on Sunday, May 21, have raised the issue of racism in football. The athlete was blunt on his social networks: “It was not the first time, nor the second, nor the third. Racism is normal in the League. The competition considers it normal, the Federation does too, and the rivals encourage it.” In addition, he stated that “Spain is known as a country of racists” in Brazil.
The controversy unleashed after what happened has generated all kinds of reactions. Martiño Rivas expressed his outrage on Instagram, where he compiled various international media publications addressing the issue. The Galician recalled an experience that he had in a stadium when he was little.
“The first time I witnessed a group act of racism was in A Coruña. It was probably in 1993. Celta de Vigo played in Riazor and every time Vicente Engonga touched the ball the stadium burst into boos. I remember asking the man who had Next to what was the reason for that collective cruelty and perplexed, I heard the naturalness with which that adult responded: ‘Because he is black’. This episode was no exception. Throughout the years at Riazor he would hear racist insults again: Roberto Carlos, Marcelo, Makelele, Eto’o and many more.”, he wrote.
The actor pointed out: “I start with my club, my stadium and my city because it would be unpresentable on my part to denounce what happened in Mestalla without starting with my own home.” He later highlighted that the world’s media portrayed Spain “as a permissive country and an accomplice to racism and xenophobia.”
The interpreter addressed the president of the Royal Spanish Football Federation and the president of the League: “How long are Luis Rubiales and Javier Tebas going to continue tasting snacks while this happens?” He also raised: “At the moment when the image of an entire country is tarnished internationally, shouldn’t the Government intercede? Isn’t such a despicable fact a matter of State?”
Rivas again sent a message to the leaders through some videos on Instagram Stories that have been widely applauded and have gone viral: “If I am in a stadium with my daughter and I have someone next to me who is shouting racist insults, What should I do, Thebes? What is the protocol to follow? Since it seems Vinicius is not interested in being informed about it… I want to know. What is the code of action? Should I go to the stadium’s private security company? Should I look for a club employee? Should I record it with my cell phone and go to the police? Should I take the law into my own hands?”
The actor continued with an ironic tone: “Please, if you would be so kind as to interrupt your canapé session and explain to us football fans how we can avoid this type of situation… You, who are so committed to eradicating racism in football stadiums, inform the population. Peace and love”.
Alberto Edjogo-Owono, a commentator on DAZN, also addressed the controversy surrounding Vinicius in a video that has more than 270,000 views on Twitter. He pointed out that on the one hand there is the attitude of the Real Madrid player, who can be criticized and generate hostility among the public, and on the other, insults: “A generic insult can be thrown at anyone. With an insult focused on the discrimination, for reasons of gender, race, ethnicity or sexual condition, what you are doing is encompassing, putting everyone in the same bag”.
The analyst exposed the consequences of this type of attack: “You are going to condemn not Vinicius, who is black like Rüdiger, Rodrygo, Tchouaméni and Camavinga, but you are going to condemn that person who wants to rent an apartment and they do not rent it because He is of Senegalese origin, the one who distributes your food and is of Indian origin and you do not treat him politely, the one who comes to clean, the one who is at his job… And that, friends, is very important”.
The commenter made reference to his personal life and said that he has a young daughter. He turned to the parents to ask how they would feel if their children were called a “fucking monkey” at school for seeing that “nothing happens in First Division football.” He later highlighted: “You have to do an exercise in thought and reflection. The attitude is one thing, the retaliation of hostility is another thing and the discriminatory insult is something very flagrant.”
According to the criteria of The Trust Project
