VINICIUS JR. RECEIVES BACKING FROM INFANTINO FOLLOWING A RACE DISPUTE

In response to the Real Madrid player Vinicius Jr. calling La Liga and Spain “racist” after receiving racial epithets from supporters during Sunday’s match at Valencia’s Mestalla Stadium, FIFA President Gianni Infantino stated his support for Vinicius Jr.

In the second half, Vinicius Jr. got into a confrontation with Valencia’s players when he pointed out the fans who were taunting him and the game was stopped for 10 minutes. Real fell short 1-0.

The international player from Brazil afterwards vented his displeasure on Twitter, declaring that racism “is normal in LaLiga” and labeling Spain as a “racist country.”

I fully support Vinicius. Racism has no place in football or in society, and FIFA supports any players who have encountered such circumstances, according to a statement from Infantino.

“Events during the Valencia-Real Madrid game demonstrate the necessity of this. The three-step procedure is utilized in FIFA events for this reason and is advised at all football levels.

“First, you halt the game and make an announcement. Second, the players leave the field and a speaker declares that the game will be stopped if the attacks continue. Thirdly, if the attacks continue, the match is stopped, and the three points are awarded to the opposition. Then, the match is restarted.

Infantino continued by saying that education must be used to promote efforts to end racism.

Following the event, Vincius Jr. was showered with support, especially from Carlo Ancelotti of Real Madrid and Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva of Brazil.

The most recent complaint against Vinicius Jr. was made by La Liga to a judge in Mallorca after fans were seen on camera making racial slurs at the forward.

Following the hanging of a mannequin sporting his number 20 shirt from a bridge outside Real Madrid’s training facility in January, Spanish authorities are also looking into a potential hate crime against Vinicius Jr.