Vinícius Jr., one of the best players today, scored the goal that secured Real Madrid their 14th European Champions Cup last May, and this season his brilliance continues to illuminate the team’s campaign in the Champions League.
The talented 22-year-old – widely regarded as one of the best players in the world – has six goals in seven games in Europe and another eight in La Liga – has become a victim of repeated “hate crimes” in Spain.
Before the classic against Atlético de Madrid in January, an effigy of Vinícius was hung from a bridge in Madrid, while racist insults were filmed during Real’s matches against Osasuna, Mallorca, Real Valladolid, and Atlético.
So far, there have been no punishments from Spain’s main football authority – the Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) – or any local prosecutor, but investigations into some cases are still ongoing.
Unlike England, where the Premier League and the English Football Association (FA) can punish clubs or fans for racist abuse, LaLiga – Spain’s top football division – told CNN Sport that it does not have that authority.
Instead, La Liga can only pass on any incidents of abuse to the RFEF committees or regional prosecutors, who treat them as legal cases before any sporting punishments are applied.
La Liga says it distributes the ‘Fan Manual’, written in collaboration with the Club Supporters Federation, in stadiums before the start of each season, highlighting which practices should “represent the values” of football.
The League also sends a ‘Player Manual’ to all players before the start of the season, encouraging them to be respectful and to report any racist or violent behavior they witness.
However, after an investigation into racist chants of “You are a monkey, Vinícius, you are a monkey” directed at the Brazilian before and during Real’s match against Atlético on September 18, 2022, La Liga told CNN that the local prosecutor in Madrid did not proceed with the case because the chants were within the context of other “unpleasant and disrespectful” chants during a “high-stakes football match.”
Incidents of players being racially abused by fans have marked several La Liga games this season.
In total, La Liga detailed to CNN Sport 12 separate cases of racist abuse against Black football players since January 2020 that have been passed on to local authorities.
Instances of racist abuse directed at Vinícius make up eight of those cases, and four – including three involving the Real star and one involving Nico Williams from Athletic Bilbao – were filed without punishment.
In addition to the local prosecutor in Madrid opting not to impose punishments because the offenses “lasted only a few seconds,” other reasons from regional prosecutors for not judging the cases include “it was not possible to identify the perpetrators,” “it does not seem to be” covered by the penal code, and “it does not cross the line for a criminal offense,” La Liga said.
The Spanish Penal Code states that racist acts – related to ethnicity, race, or national origin – that “harm the dignity of individuals” through “contempt” or “humiliation” can lead to a sentence of six months to two years in prison.
Known for his dazzling skills and talents, Vinícius’s goal celebrations with dances have also become famous in Spain.
It was after one of these celebrations that Pedro Bravo, president of the Association of Agents of Spain, said that Vinícius should “stop acting like a monkey.” In response, the Real Madrid star insisted that he “will not stop” celebrating his goals by dancing.
Comments like that of this agent have even been insinuated in editorials of Spanish newspapers in recent months, suggesting that what is happening is wrong, “but he (Vinícius) also carries part of the blame.”
The consequence of this?
Vinícius is being racially abused very explicitly at every match.
Source: CNN