• Valence. The Police releases the three young people arrested for racist insults to Vinicius in Mestalla
  • Real Madrid Ancelotti apologizes for accusing all Mestalla of racist: "It's not 46,000, I apologize"
  • Esquinas Torres, the referee who stopped Eto'o "I should have gone with him, we wouldn't be like that"

The worldwide echo of the racist aggression suffered by Vinicius has generated a stain on Spanish football, a shadow that LaLiga tries to shake but that the RFEF recognizes. "We have a racism problem," President Luis Rubiales admitted. To these episodes of structural racism that have reached the courts in recent years are added the investigations for alleged arbitration corruption derived from the so-called Negreira Case. Everything, a year after the 211 federations that make up FIFA decide where the 2030 World Cup will be held, to which Spain presents candidacy along with Portugal and Morocco.

"We do not know if racism is going to influence because there is a year to go, but it would be good if drastic measures were taken to address the slightest doubt. It is not a good message that everything ends up archived. It is the ninth time it has happened with Vinicius and it has had a global significance". Who speaks is Miguel Ángel López, the former director of the RFEF who was director of the Iberian Candidacy formed by Spain and Portugal that opted for the 2018 and 2022 World Cups, surpassed by Russia and Qatar. He knows the ins and outs of FIFA and what interests prevail. Any excuse, together with the economic power of another candidacy, can undermine the Spanish bet. "I don't think Infantino is interested in pointing to Spain, a very important federation, and less after Qatar. I think everything will calm down when the competition is over in a week's time, but I don't remember a campaign like this. They must prepare," he says.

It is not the first time that a shadow of suspicion separates Spain from the race to host international sporting events. It happened twice with Madrid's Olympic bid. For the 2016 Games, a question from Albert of Monaco about security in the capital sowed doubt. It was 2005 and ETA had not yet laid down its arms. In 2013, when he opted for the 2020 Games, it was the doping and international tails derived from 'Operation Port'. Both were a burden that was not even perceived.

"We didn't see it as a disadvantage. No one from the IOC told us like that," recalls Theresa Zabell, the bid's director of international relations. "There were two issues that existed. No one denied them. Perhaps the problem was the management of communication. We were not prepared to bring out the positive side of 40 years of experience in counter-terrorism or anti-doping operations to keep sport clean." His experience says that these shadows "must be stopped at the source". "All levels have to position themselves and send a strong message of zero tolerance. The most important thing is the image of fairplay on and off the field," says the former Olympic sailing champion.

Campaigns and sanctions

While the police identify and arrest three of the aggressors, and the Prosecutor's Office continues its investigations, the RFEF and LaLiga have set aside their confrontations to unite in a campaign under the slogan 'Together against racism'. In addition, the Federation has also launched 'Racists, out of football', which premiered yesterday at the Copa del Reina. An initiative with a double target audience: on the one hand, people who engage in racist and xenophobic behavior and, on the other, the whole of football fans so that, if they witness them, they afee and denounce them, "so that together we all end up with a problem that damages the image of all Spanish football", says the RFEF.

Will it be enough? "No one can know if they will bring it up, but some rival can use it as foul play," warns Juan de Dios Crespo, a lawyer specializing in Sports Law. "What you have to do is be prepared. Have all the reports ready, because the rival candidacies also have problems of racism or human rights." Arabia, along with Egypt and perhaps Greece, will lead one candidacy; the other, Uruguay with Argentina. "Uruguay had Luis Suarez sanctioned eight matches for racist insults to Evra."

Crespo does not believe that the repercussion of what happened will condition the votes in the election of the headquarters. Spain has the support of Morocco, and the Alaouite kingdom with that of the African Confederation (CAF). "No one is free from a racist episode and that is not why an entire stadium or a whole country is. What is done is to sanction, "he insists.

This specialist believes that there are tools in Spanish sports legislation to do so. Mestalla faces a closure, at least partial, of the stand where the events occurred and the VAR referee who showed the images that led to the expulsion of Vinicius, Iglesias Villanueva, will not return to video referee this season nor will his contract be extended.

"The closure is in line with UEFA's measures and would be a proportionate sanction. And as for the referee, it's a strong message. If more needs to be done? Laws and regulations would have to be changed. And that is already politics, "concludes the lawyer.

  • Vinicius Junior
  • Racism

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