Racism in sports chips away at the joy and unity these activities bring, affecting players and fans irrespective of talent or popularity. This is evident in the experiences of Vinicius Junior, Real Madrid’s forward, who despite his fame, faces repeated racial abuse in his career in LaLiga.
Though the Brazilian confronts offenders, his general activism aims to discard the normalization of racism in LaLiga. His actions prompted global support and led to Brazil passing the “Vinicius Jr. law” to combat racism in sports.
READ MORE
++ Endrick and family face racism during match: CBF condemns acts, pledges support
++ Brazilian state enacts ‘Vini Jr.’ law to end racism in football
++ FIFA’s proposal for players to report racist behavior after Vini case
ESPN Brasil tracked the racist abuse incidents Vinicius has endured at Real Madrid, and compiled 16 cases where they occurred from 2021 till date.
All the times Vinicius Junior was racially abused in La Liga
- (October 24, 2021)
- During Barcelona vs. Real Madrid at Camp Nou, Vinicius was abused with shouts of “monkey” as he was substituted. LaLiga reported the incident but the case was closed due to the inability to identify the perpetrator.
- (March 14, 2022)
- At Son Moix, during a match against Real Mallorca, Vinicius was targeted with monkey chants and a shout to “go and get some bananas.” Despite a complaint from LaLiga, authorities declined to act, citing a lack of criminal dimension.
- (September 16, 2022)
- On “El Chiringuito,” Pedro Bravo told Vinicius to “stop acting the monkey.” The comment sparked outrage, leading to Bravo’s apology and a robust response from Vinicius on social media.
- (September 18, 2022)
- Before a match at Metropolitano, Atletico Madrid fans sang “Vinicius, you’re a monkey.” No charges were pressed as prosecutors did not view the act as criminal.
- (December 30, 2022)
- At José Zorrilla, Vinicius was subjected to racial slurs “black bastard” and “black s—.” Valladolid and police acted, resulting in a ban for 10 fans and an ongoing criminal case.
- (January 26, 2023)
- An effigy of Vinicius was hung from a bridge with a hostile banner. Four suspects were arrested and face a trial seeking four-year prison sentences.
- (February 5, 2023)
- At Son Moix, a fan’s racist remark “monkey” during a broadcast led to a LaLiga complaint and a three-year stadium ban for the identified individual.
- (February 18, 2023)
- At El Sadar, a fan insulted Vinicius during a goal celebration, but no action was taken due to unidentifiable perpetrators.
- (March 5, 2023)
- Racist chanting at Benito Villamarin led to a LaLiga complaint, and authorities later identified a responsible individual.
- (March 19, 2023)
- After El Clásico at Camp Nou, Vinicius was targeted with shouts of “monkey” and “Vinicius, die,” prompting a formal complaint from LaLiga.
- (May 21, 2023)
- At Mestalla, Vinicius confronted fans for mimicking monkey gestures and shouting “monkey.” The incident, including a subsequent clash and a red card for Vinicius, resulted in stadium sanctions and an ongoing criminal case.
- (September 24, 2023)
- An incident involving an 8-year-old girl facing racial abuse for wearing a Vinicius shirt at Metropolitano led to the arrest of a fan.
- (October 21, 2023)
- At Sanchez Pizjuan, a fan made a racist gesture at Vinicius. The fan was ejected and legally pursued.
- (March 2, 2024)
- Returning to Mestalla, Vinicius scored twice amid hostile reactions and celebrated defiantly.
- (March 13, 2024)
- At Metropolitano, Atletico fans insulted Vinicius with chants of “chimpanzee” during a Champions League match.
- (March 16, 2024)
- Osasuna fans insulted Vinicius during a match at El Sadar, with Real Madrid filing a complaint against the referee for omitting the insults from his report.
- (March 25, 2024)
- Vinicius expressed emotional distress at a press conference, indicating a diminished desire to play due to ongoing racial abuse.
These documented incidents highlight the repeated racial abuse Vinicius Junior has faced, underscoring the persistent issue of racism in football environments.
Spanish law treats racist abuse as a hate crime, with offenders facing up to four years in prison and fines. Football’s governing bodies can close venues temporarily and ban individuals from stadiums, but LaLiga itself lacks the power to punish perpetrators directly, a change it seeks to implement.
Remembering Zagallo
Sambafoot Series launched a new documentary about the football legend Zagallo. Known as ‘Velho Lobo‘ and as superstitious as it gets, Zagallo helped shape what Brazilian football is nowadays — as a player and as a coach.
Binge the full series, available on Sambafoot’s Youtube channel.
