When Vinicius Junior got off the team bus at the Mestalla last weekend he was subjected to chants of ‘Mono’ (monkey).
When this racial abuse carried on onto the pitch, the match was halted with the official ordering the crowd to be warned that the game would be abandoned if these vile chants continued, which is part of the protocol in La Liga.
The player (close to tears as he was subjected to racism) described his treatment as ‘normal in the country’.
The 22-year-old said the perception from his native Brazil of Spain is a ‘country of racists’.
The players have had support from his peers worldwide, but Spanish Football’s response has been one of denial.
President of La Liga Javier Tebas tried to deflect, pointing out the strides the League has taken to combat racism, including meetings he blames the attacker for not attending.
While Valencia condemned racism and support any investigation, they are appealing their stadium being partially closed for 5 fixtures.
They feel the sanctions are harsh because it still hasn’t been proved the majority of their fans were misbehaving. That’s a narrative some of the nation’s media have tried to tell.
The BBC, Talk Sport, Sky Sports, AFTV, etc have all been part of the UK press asking Spain to look itself in the mirror.
Darren Bent fears the racists are ‘winning in Spain’.
Kevin Hatchard says La Liga is ‘failing’.
AFTV called the whole situation ‘disgusting’.
Martin Keown has implored La Liga to have a ‘zero tolerance’ attitude to racism.
English Newspapers are pondering if racism would put footballers like Jude Bellingham off from joining Real Madrid?
This is what the British media do. We often do this when one of the home nations plays abroad. We are quick to put our nose up to what is happening in other parts of the world without looking after our own house.
Journalists this week have had the audacity to question Spain’s suitability to host the 2030 World Cup.
These writers writing from the same country who essentially hosted the last Euros, which is best remembered for three English players being racially abused online, Denmark and Italy’s anthems being booed and fans breaking into stadiums to sit on seats they didn’t pay for.
In the last year alone, Prince William felt the need to write to Bradford’s Junior team when he learnt the level of abuse players as young as 7 were subjected too.
Say that out loud … The future king writing to children to apologise for racism.
Arsenal this season have investigated abuse of a Sikh Gooner, on more than one occasion attacked at the Emirates, including having his Turban knocked off.
Ivan Toney’s and Rico Henry’s families were racially abused at Goodison.
Toney was also racially abused after the Newcastle game, as was Saka after the West Ham game, as was Son also after playing the Hammers.
John Yems is a former Crawley manager serving a three-year ban from football for 11 charges of discriminating language.
Chelsea fans have been condemned for anti-Seismic chants at Spurs, Man United warned about songs mocking the 97 who died due to Hillsborough, Liverpool for sick chants about the Munich Air disaster.
I could go on ….
I could show you images of a banana being thrown at Aubameyang, send you a video of Sterling being racially abused by a man in the front row, we could revisit the Suarez/Evra case or the Terry/Ferdinand saga.
So, when a Martin Keown preaches one nation needing a ‘zero tolerance‘ approach, maybe he needs to look closer to home?
Because whisper it quietly, Spain have more ‘zero tolerance’ then England.
Spain closing down the south stand of one their top clubs is more action than the Premiership have ever done.
No matter how many reports of racism, the governing bodies in the UK have still resisted the need to ever impose stadium bans or point deductions.
That’s despite surveys showing that fans and players believe there has been a rise in the offence over the years, with an increase in arrests for anti-social behaviour.
That’s because the Premier League is one of the UK’s most successful brands.
It’s harder to sell TV rights overseas if your product is being played in empty arenas.
You’re not going to attract sponsors if clubs are being dropped points due to racism.
Why fix a billion-pound business if it’s not broken? No one is going to agree to that.
That’s not zero tolerance though.
Pep Guardiola said it best. All nations have a portion of people who think their language is the best, their religion superior, their culture the one to be taken seriously.
Some can’t cope with diversity. It’s been like that throughout history.
What happened to Vinicius Junior, no human being should have to experience.
It’s an embarrassment to society that in 2023 we are having this conversation.
Yes, Spain should and could do more to support him and tackle the issue.
Yet, England are in no position to judge.
Dan
Agreed. I thought racism in England was better than the ones in European countries, but Son Heung-min got it when Spurs were playing against Crystal Palace
However, Rudiger, Vinicius Jr and Son Heung-min could also be proud of the “special treatment”. The opposition’s supporters were obviously worried about those excellent players’ effects in the games, hence the intimidation
If those players weren’t in-form or didn’t play well, those barbarians would’ve ignored them
You’re probably correct in your assumption that those players are being targeted because of their success, but I doubt that they would feel proud of being abused, in fact, they’d more likely prefer to opt out completely, and Vinicius Jr didn’t seem too pleased at all.
I’m sure they were affected psychologically. But hopefully they realized that it was their great performances that made them singled out, while their “colored” teammates didn’t get the same abuse in the game
If they thought like that, it could make them heal faster
Perhaps Brazil should get its own house in order before judging Spain. The fact is racism is not isolated to any one country including Vinicius’ own country …. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/may/25/brazil-mobile-phone-game-slavery
I dislike Dans attempts to portray Englands racist as being as bad or as MUCH racist as Spains And vice versa too.
No countrys inhabitents, are ever completely faultless and racism is in all countries, in all societies. Wherever and whenever is occurs, it is a disgraceful and Neanderthal reaction to that all unimportant matter of skin mere shade.
What DAN ought to be pointing out ,is not a battle among England and Spain as to which has the more awful and common racism.
He SHOULD INSTEAD, be pointing out that ALL INDIVIDUAL racism, across our entire planet, is evil.
When you , rather unthinkingly, IMO, attempt to make it a so called “battle” between two specific countries,as to which has the less or more racists, then instead of widening the debate, you then attract those unthinking souls who will state one country is less vicious than the other.
MY OWN view about the evil that is racism, is that each individual , quite irrespective of his/her personal nationalityor own skin shade, who indulges in racsm ,is sick in the head , stupid beyond compare and ought to be WIDELY CONDEMNED .
To concentrate on two countries alone is IMO to cheapen and deflect from the severity of thecrime WORLDWIDE. Just my logical thinking view .
I will saythis though; having been on JA for many years and read countless of DANS articles, I notice how regularly he attempts to make many of his articles as being a battle between one and another type of individual, or club or country.etc.
The REAL truth is that racism is sick and evil and it is the individual, not the country which is to blame and ought to be shamed.
I am English and British too. But I do NOT seek to blame my many human faults upon the country or the society in which I was born and brought up.
I am an adult and my faults are there for all to see. But they are MY PERSONAL FAULTS, and NOT my countrys fault, that I live here.
Who agrees with that, please? And if not , then why not?
I agree that it’s all individuals are responsible for their own behaviour, however, different cultures do produce different outcomes, and things like racism can be more accepted in some places, which would surely encourage instances to occur more often, on average.
YES Davi, I agree certain cultures tend to encourage more individuals racism
But all humans have free choice of their thinking and no country is ever ,IMO responsible for any individuals choice to be a thick and stupid racist. Blame their own lack of intelligence and THAT would be nearer the real truth , I SAY!
Yes, certainly. However, we have stupid people everywhere, and coercion is effective.
Hear, hear. Hear him he speaks the truth. Well said Jon.
Don’t think I said either had more ?
I just think we need to get out of critiquing others when we do nothing
Eg at least Spain are doing partial stadium ban
Too me if you got 1 racist , that’s one too many ?
Yes, there is racism in the UK and it often turns up at sporting events where it’s easy to hate the opponents, especially so if they’re “different”. I’ve witnessed it by our supporters at Highbury, but never at The Emirates.
I think Dan has made some good points although wouldn’t include the idiotic booing of anthems, as it has nothing to with race and which to my knowledge has never been acted on by the police or authorities. Could do without them anyway IMO.
The British media do report and condemn racist actions that occur in the UK so there’s no reason not to report on and criticise it elsewhere in the world.
England has had its trouble in the past but to say we “should get our house in order” before we criticize anyone else is a bit much. We are the most tolerant nation in the world and have done more than any other country to stamp it out. Racism exists. It always has and it always will. It will never be eradicated because hating someone for their immutable characteristics is the quickest and easiest way of expressing your feelings for them. It ain’t great but it’s true.
Most tolerant nation in the world? You make me laugh
Oh really, so we aren’t a multicultural nation? I suppose we weren’t the first country to abolish slavery? I suppose we don’t take refugees in the 1000s daily and give them somewhere to live? Calling people names isn’t the same as racism, it’s no different to calling someone fat, or four eyes, or ginger. It’s not very nice but it isn’t the same thing. Actual racism is horrific and thankfully doesn’t exist in this country anymore, all that’s left it a few stupid bigots who aren’t intelligent or creative enough to come up with anything original.
What we do have is a large portion of certain demographics who need to call our country racist, so they can have an excuse for how shit their life is and why they haven’t achieved anything. I have worked in a multicultural workplace and can say hand on heart that people are just people. Some are crap, some are good, and the colour of their skin is irrelevant to the first two points. Please show me a more tolerant nation and I’ll show you one that hasn’t had anything to tolerate yet.
One of the reasons I have huge admiration for a certain nation is because its doors were opened up to many different people and now they are one people of many color. Lifes variety is a beautiful thing
escapepod303 – Britain has had it’s problems with regard to racism like most other countries, but I agree with you wholeheartedly and
wonder if a single one of us would rather live elsewhere. The answer is probably an overwhelming amount (99% ?) would wish to live here rather than anywhere else.
There will certainly always be prejudice in the world and unfortunately I being a pessimist do not believe that will ever change, certainly not in my lifetime.
escape 303, Assuming you mean Britain, I agree that nowadays, most older Brits are overwhelmingly anti racists.
But things were very and massively different in Britain when I was a boy and aslo when still a young adult.
What HAS helped change attitudes en masse, is the welcome incoming of people from the world over, of all cultures, countries and also skin shades
It is hard to be a NATURAL RACIST, IF YOU ARE STILL A TWO YEAR OLD PLAYING WITH YOUR FRIENDS FROM OTHER COUNTRIES, WHILE STILL AT NURSERY. We are not born to be racist but learn it from ignorant folk who are older relatives and friends of the family.
Even so, there is still much unconscious racsim spoken, esp from older Brits, born and brought up in Britain.
My own late parents we both, esp DAD, guilty of unconscious racist attitudes.
Dad was prone to say, thinking it made him souln cool, that “blacks can be racist too!” Ye Gods, AS IF, any thinking person could have ever thought differently.
MY POINT IS, that racism is a fault of bigots and unthinking dullards, in all global countries but not done by thinking folks and those who dont see ONLY the different PACKAGES that all we humans wear.
PACKAGES CAN BE HEIGHT, WEIGHT, AGE HOW WE ACT, SPEAK, CULTURE, SKIN SHADE , SEXUALITY, GENDER, RELIGION AND MANY OTHER TOTALLY IRRELEVANT, but welcome, superficial differences in human packages.
. Thinkers realise that the real person is underneath the “package” they bring and that packages(wrapping , if you like) IS WHAT STUPID PEOPLE SEE AND FOOLISHLY REACT TO.
If only our common human race, en masse, would evolve far more quickly than it is, even now!
Funny no one except the FIFA president said others should look into their own house when it was Qatar.
The writer joined in condemnation of Qatar I didn’t see a single line saying others should look in the mirror first.
I am not defending anyone but criticism should be fair. No one should be spared if they deserve it.