Diaspora, Africa – (African Boulevard News) – The world of football has always been plagued with racism, and the latest instance involving Brazilian international Vinícius Jr has put the spotlight back onto the issue. In support of the young footballer, about 100 Brazilians, including some members of human rights groups and Black movements, took to the streets of Spain on Tuesday, May 23, to protest against racism.
Chanting slogans such as “end with racism in Spain and in Brazil”, the protestors expressed their solidarity with the 21-year-old player who was subjected to racial abuse during a recent match. Vinícius Jr, who plays for Real Madrid, was targeted by some Spanish fans who hurled offensive slurs at him during a game against Cádiz over the weekend.
The incident has once again highlighted the growing problem of racism in football and the need for urgent action to address it. In response to the incident, Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro took to social media to condemn the racist abuse aimed at the young player. Bolsonaro’s tweet in Portuguese read, “The shameful racist manifestation directed at @vinijr during the Real Madrid match is unacceptable. This demands a prompt and energetic response from sports authorities to end it once and for all.”
The football community also expressed their support for Vinícius Jr. Paul Pogba, the Manchester United midfielder, took to Instagram to show his solidarity with the Brazilian player. Pogba shared a picture of himself with the caption, “Violence, whether physical or verbal, is never the answer. End racism!”
The growing awareness of racism in football has led to calls for stricter laws and penalties to prevent such incidents. The Deputy Governor of Rio de Janeiro, Cláudio Castro, has proposed a bill that would impose a lifetime ban on any player found guilty of racism. Castro said, “We need to have stricter laws to deal with racism in football. We need to send a strong message that racism has no place in our society.”
The protests by Brazilians in Spain demonstrate the need for immediate and decisive action to address the issue of racism. Vinícius Jr is just one of many players who have been subjected to such vile abuse, and it is time for football authorities to take decisive action to eradicate racism from the game. As the protests continue, it is hoped that the message will be loud and clear: there is no place for racism in football or society.
