United States condemns “horrible” racist insults against Vinícius Junior in Valencia

U.S. State Department spokesman Matthew Miller, condemned on Wednesday the “horrible” racist insults that Real Madrid player Vinícius Junior received last Sunday during a match against Valencia.

“Obviously, we condemn racism throughout the worldwherever it occurs, including in sports, and we applaud any effort to bring it to light and fight it,” Miller said during a press conference in which he said he saw these chants and called them “horrible.”

The spokesman has also stressed that. the Spanish authorities have taken measuresafter the Provincial Prosecutor’s Office of Valencia opened proceedings to determine whether the insults may constitute a hate crime.

Three Spanish youths have been charged for the time being, although the investigation remains open and has the cooperation of Valencia Club de Fútbol, in whose stadium the event took place.

The UN high commissioner for human rights, Volker Türk, has also condemned the insults to Vinícius Junior and has called on the organizers of sporting events to implement “strategies to prevent racism in sport”.

The incidents involving Real Madrid’s Brazilian player started in the 70th minute of the match. Vinícius pointed out that a supporter had addressed him with a racist insultby making the monkey gesture.

Referee Ricardo de Burgos Bengoetxea recorded in the minutes of the match between Real Madrid and Valencia at Mestalla that. “a spectator” shouted at the player “monkey, monkey”. and therefore activated the racism protocol, alerting the field delegate so that they could make the corresponding warning over the public address system.

The match was stopped for about eight minutes until the announcement was broadcast over the stadium’s public address system.