Spain’s football league has demanded changes to the country’s laws after racist abuse directed at one of the game’s star players prompted a backlash from players, sponsors and the Brazilian government.
Real Madrid’s Vinícius Júnior was the target of racist chants last weekend during an away game against Valencia and an outcry spread after the head of La Liga appeared to downplay the incident.
The Brazilian forward, rated as one of football’s top players, reported the abuse to the match referee. He was later sent off for violent conduct.
After the game, Vinícius Júnior posted a message on social media saying the Spanish league “belongs to the racists”, and criticised football authorities for failing to tackle the problem. He later called on sponsors and broadcasters to push the league to take firmer action.
“It wasn’t the first time, not the second time, and not the third,” he said. “Racism is normal in La Liga.”
Javier Tebas, La Liga chief executive, has come under fire for his response. Shortly after the match on Sunday, Tebas directed a message at Vinicius Jr on Twitter, saying: “Before you criticise La Liga, you need to educate yourself properly. Don’t let yourself be manipulated.”
On Tuesday La Liga sought to shift the focus, saying in a statement that it felt “powerless”. It blamed Spanish law for failing to give it the tools to address the issue, insisted it had led a “relentless fight” against racism, and vowed to lobby the government for new powers to sanction clubs and fans.
Vinícius Júnior has been repeatedly been targeted by racist football fans during matches this season. On Tuesday, Spanish police arrested seven men over two separate incidents, one of which involved an effigy of the Brazilian player hung from a bridge near the Real Madrid training ground.
Real Madrid has called on the attorney-general’s office to investigate the incident in Valencia, while Carlo Ancelotti, the team’s head coach, said the game should have been called off.
“What we saw today is unacceptable — an entire stadium chanting racist slurs,” he said.
The episode has also sparked fury in Brazil, dominating headlines and provoking government condemnation. In a gesture of solidarity with the player, the lights on the landmark Christ the Redeemer statue in Rio de Janeiro were turned off on Monday evening.
President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva demanded that Fifa, football’s global governing body, and La Liga take “serious measures” in response.
“We cannot allow fascism and racism to take over football stadiums,” the leftwing leader said on Monday.
Brazil’s ministry of racial equality said it had asked Spanish authorities to investigate the case. In parallel, Brasília’s justice minister said he was considering the “extraterritorial” application of Brazilian law.
Local media reported that Lula planned to speak with the Spanish prime minister about the racist attacks. The presidency did not immediately reply to a request for comment.
La Liga’s commercial partners have also pressed for action. Santander, its main sponsor, said it “strongly rejects all racism and discrimination in whatever form it takes”. “We expect appropriate authorities to take quick and decisive action.”
Fifpro, the players union, said protocols for tackling racism inside stadiums were “weak and ineffectual” and needed updating.
Luis Rubiales, president of the Spanish football federation, offered his support to Vinícius Júnior and admitted that the game had a “serious problem”. He criticised Tebas for his “irresponsible behaviour”.
Valencia has promised lifetime stadium bans for those responsible but said it was “totally false” to accuse the entire crowd of shouting racist remarks.
Additional reporting by Samuel Agini in London and Barney Jopson in Madrid
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