Real Madrid File Complaint After Vinicius Racial Abuse

Spanish Football Club Real Madrid has filed a formal complaint with the country’s Special Prosecutor over Sunday night’s attack against winger Vinícius José Paixão de Oliveira Júnior.

This is in accordance with Article 124 of the Spanish Constitution.

The Club in a statement “strongly” condemned the racial attack against the black-skinned Brazilian footballer by Valencia fans at Mestalla Stadium.

According to Madrid, the action of the fans constitutes a hate crime.

“Real Madrid believes that such attacks also constitute a hate crime, and has therefore filed the corresponding report with the Attorney General’s Office, specifically with the Prosecutor’s Office against crimes of hatred and discrimination, in order for the facts to be investigated and for those responsible to be held accountable,” a part of the statement read.

Vinicius was subjected to racial abuse by fans of Valencia during a La Liga match that ended in a 1:0 defeat for Madrid.

He was reportedly called a “monkey” by some spectators.

The 22-year-old forward took to social media after the game to assert racism was “normal” in La Liga.

“It wasn’t the first time or the second or the third. Racism is normal in La Liga. The competition thinks it’s normal, as does the federation, and the opponents encourage it. The championship that once belonged to Ronaldinho, Ronaldo, Cristiano [Ronaldo] and [Lionel] Messi today belongs to the racists,” he posted as quoted by Al Jazeera.

“A beautiful nation, which welcomed me and which I love but which accepted to export to the world the image of a racist country. I am sorry for those Spaniards who disagree, but today, in Brazil, Spain is known as a country of racists. I am strong, and I will go all the way against the racists. Even if it is far away from here.”

But the President of La Liga, Javier Tebas, has denounced it saying, “From LaLiga we denounce and persecute racism with all the harshness within our powers”.

According to him, racism in La Liga this season applies to a few isolated cases and therefore cannot be generalised.

“We cannot allow the image of a competition that is above all a symbol of union between peoples to be tarnished, where more than 200 black players in 42 clubs receive the respect and affection of all the fans every day, racism being a series of isolated incidents (9 complaints) that we are going to eradicate.”