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RACISM

Real Madrid file complaint after latest racist insults towards Vinicius

Spanish club Real Madrid announced Friday that it had filed a complaint regarding the racist insults made against Vinicius Junior before Atletico Madrid and Barcelona's midweek Champions League matches.

Real Madrid's Brazilian forward #07 Vinicius Junior reacts During a game
Real Madrid's Brazilian forward #07 Vinicius Junior reacts during the Spanish league football match between Real Madrid CF and RC Celta de Vigo in Madrid on March 10, 2024. Real Madrid have filed a complaint after the latest racist insults towards him. (Photo by Pierre-Philippe MARCOU / AFP)

“Real Madrid C. F. has filed a complaint with the Official State Prosecutor over hate and discrimination offences pertaining to the racist and hateful abuse aimed at our player Vinicius Junior,” said the club in an official
announcement.

“Real Madrid condemns these violent attacks of racism, discrimination and hate… which have sadly been a recurrent and ongoing concern for some time.”

The complaint comes in the wake of videos on social media showing racist chants aimed at Vinicius by Atletico Madrid fans outside the Metropolitano Stadium before Wednesday’s Champions League match against Inter Milan.

On Thursday, the 23-year-old called on the Champions League and European football’s governing body UEFA to take action against the supporters.

“It’s a sad reality that happens even during matches where I am not present,” Vinicius added in the message posted on X.

Real allege that similar abuse could also be heard “in the areas surrounding the Montjuic Olympic Stadium” ahead of Barcelona’s home Champions League tie with Napoli on Tuesday.

The club said that it had requested security footage from the two locations be assessed in order to identify the perpetrators.

Vinicius has faced racial abuse since he joined Real in 2018, with the latest incident coming shortly after a different video appeared to show a fan making racist insults towards Vinicius during a match against Valencia on
March 3.

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RACISM

Atlético Madrid win appeal over racist abuse sanction

The Spanish Football Federation on Thursday accepted Atlético Madrid's appeal against a partial stadium ban after racial abuse directed at Athletic Bilbao winger Nico Williams.

Atlético Madrid win appeal over racist abuse sanction

Atlético were initially ordered to partially close their stadium for two La Liga matches following monkey chants heard by Spain international Williams at Atlético’s Metropolitano stadium last month.

The federation pointed to Atlético’s “active cooperation” in their decision to lift the stadium ban and a €20,000 ($21,350) fine.

Williams heard the abuse when he went to take a corner. He subsequently scored, pointing to his arm in reference to his skin colour, in his side’s 3-1 defeat on April 28th.

“There weren’t many of them. There are stupid people everywhere… I hope this changes bit by bit” he said after the match.

Atlético identified the person responsible for the abuse from cameras in the stadium. He was handed over to the police when the game ended, and banned from the club.

The federation praised Atlético’s swift action in what they accepted was “an isolated incident”.

Spanish football has suffered a spate of racist incidents in recent years, many of which have been aimed at Real Madrid forward Vinicius Junior.

The Brazil international earned global support after facing off with a fan who was abusing him last year at Valencia’s Mestalla stadium, which also faced subsequent partial closure.

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