Jean-Baptiste Sarrazin, with AFP / Photo credit: Jose Miguel Fernandez / NurPhoto / NurPhoto via AFP
modified to
10:25 p.m., May 23, 2023
Accused of laissez-faire in the face of racism in football, the Spanish authorities tightened the screw on Tuesday, two days after new insults uttered against Brazilian star Vinicius Junior, causing a wave of international indignation. Seizure of an investigation for “hate crime”, a criminal category including racist crimes, the Spanish police announced that they had arrested three young people suspected of “racist behavior” during Sunday’s match in Valencia, where the Real Madrid striker been targeted with insults and monkey cries. But this announcement remains brief for the journalist Cédric Chasseur, who, in the program Europe 1 Sport (every evening from 8 p.m. to 11 p.m. live on Europe 1), recalled that in addition to the Spanish football authorities, there is also “a legal and societal problem, where it is difficult to manage people who indulge in this kind of behavior.”
Valencia club collaboration
These arrests, made thanks to “the collaboration of the Valencian club”, took place at dawn in this city in eastern Spain, the police said in a statement. “The investigation continues to identify other alleged perpetrators” of racist insults, she added. In parallel with this operation, the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) has indicated that it has suspended the video referee of the match between Valencia and Real Madrid, marked by multiple incidents, who will be replaced in his duties on the next day of the championship.
Nacho Iglesias Villanueva is accused of having provided the main referee only with the images of the gesture which earned Vinicius a red card at the end of the match, failing to broadcast those of the Valencia player, Hugo Duro, guilty of a gesture resembling to a choke against the Brazilian.
“Drastic measures”
A regular target of racist attacks since his arrival at Real Madrid in 2018, the Brazilian international stepped up to the plate on Sunday evening in a message posted on Instagram after Valencia’s insults. “It was not the first time, nor the second, nor the third. Racism is normal in La Liga”, he regretted.
Pointed out for its supposed laxity, La Liga defended itself by indicating that it lacked the power to sanction. She assured to have transmitted eight complaints to justice this season for attacks against Vinicius, remained for the most part and at this stage without effect. Most Spanish media also called for tougher action. “Even within certain bodies of Spanish football, some refuse to deal with the problem”, was indignant Cédric Chasseur on the set ofEurope 1 Sports. For Jimmy Algérino, “UEFA and Fifa must also intervene in this case.”
“Condemning is not enough anymore,” Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti told reporters on Tuesday. “The institutions have an opportunity now to take drastic measures on this important subject,” insisted the Italian technician. In a press release, the Spanish government announced that it would propose to the Federation as well as to La Liga an “awareness campaign” aimed at supporters, with “specific actions” to fight against “the scourge of racism”.