The prosecutor's office in Valencia (southeast), where the Brazilian star was insulted Sunday during a league match lost by the merengue club against the local team (1-0), has, on its own initiative, opened investigations for an alleged "hate crime", we learned from judicial sources. This criminal category includes racist insults.
In front of the press, the president of the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF), Luis Rubiales, acknowledged that Spanish football had "a problem of racism", which, he added, "taints a whole team, all the fans, a whole country".
The Federation also called for the adoption of "more vigorous measures", which could go as far as the closure of stands, or even stadiums in case of recidivism, as well as the referral to the State Commission against Violence, Xenophobia and Racism in Sport.
For their part, Real Madrid and the AFE, the main players' union in Spain, announced that they had filed a complaint with the Spanish prosecutor general - at the national level - for an investigation into these insults which legally constitute, according to the club, a "crime of hatred".
In Spain, it is the "competitions committee", the equivalent of the disciplinary committee in France, which is responsible for discrimination in football.
On a more political level, the Spanish government, through its Minister of Consumer Affairs, Alberto Garzón, called for "a firm response" against this phenomenon which "shows that racism is very deeply rooted in certain specific groups of supporters (...)".
These words and actions are in addition to the many supports received since Sunday evening by Vinicius, with the notable exception of the powerful and sulphurous boss of La Liga, Javier Tebas.
"Monkey"
Sunday at the Mestalla stadium in Valencia, during the defeat of Real on behalf of the 35th matchday, the striker merengue, regularly targeted, complained of having been described as a "monkey" by opposing supporters.
"It wasn't the first time, not the second time or the third. Racism is normal in La Liga, "reacted on Instagram the Brazilian player, 22, excluded at the end of the match after a scuffle that saw his opponent escape a similar penalty.
Real Madrid's Italian coach Carlo Ancelotti in discussion with referee De Burgos Bengoetxea during the FC Valencia-Real match in which Madrid club's Brazilian striker Vinicius Jr (right) was subjected to racist insults © JOSE JORDAN / /Archives
Spain, he added, is "a beautiful nation, which welcomed me and which I love, but which agreed to export to the world the image of a racist country. Sorry for the Spaniards who disagree, but today in Brazil Spain is known as a country of racists."
His words, however, were not to the liking of Javier Tebas.
"Before criticizing and insulting La Liga, it would be necessary for you to inform yourself properly," he said, refuting any inaction by his body.
The latter, which highlighted its "responsiveness" in a statement, assured to have transmitted eight complaints this season for incidents suffered by Vinicius, only one of which led to a sanction (for incidents in Valladolid in mid-December). She undertook to transmit to the justice the result of her investigation if a new "hate crime" was proven.
"We cannot allow the image of a competition that is above all a symbol of union between peoples, where more than 200 black players (sic) in 42 clubs receive the respect and affection of all supporters every day, and where racism is an extremely specific case (nine complaints) that we will eradicate," further detailed Javier Tebas Monday at midday on Twitter.
'Impunity, complicity'
Insufficient, however, judged Carlo Ancelotti, the Italian coach of Real. "What has happened so far? Reports that have come to nothing (...). The solution is to stop the game."
Support for Vinicius poured in from all over the world.
Carlo Ancelotti and Vinicius Jr on May 21, 2023 during the Valencia-Real Madrid match. Real's Italian coach believes LaLiga's actions so far are insufficient to counter racism in stadiums © JOSE JORDAN / /Archives
Starting with Brazil, where the president of the Federation, Ednaldo Rodrigues, assured on social networks that Vinicius had "the love of all Brazilians".
"New episode of racism in La Liga and once again Vini is the victim," said Ronaldo, the legend of the Seleçao. "This will last as long as impunity and complicity" continue.
"With you," Neymar posted.
At a press conference in Hiroshima, Japan, President Luis Inazio Lula da Silva also denounced the "racism" suffered by his young compatriot.
Outside the country, PSG star Kylian Mbappé has also taken a stand. "You're not alone. We are with you and support you," he wrote in English on Instagram.
The Valencia club, host of the incident, said Monday that it had already identified a fan who uttered racist insults on Sunday and that it was looking for others. The club also promised it would "ban for life" identified fans from the Mestalla stadium.
© 2023 AFP