...By Larry John for TDPel Media.
Football authorities in Spain have taken action against Valencia, a Spanish La Liga club, following the racial abuse suffered by Real Madrid winger Vinicius Junior at Valencia’s stadium during a recent match.
The incident has garnered global attention and condemnation, with widespread support for the Brazilian player.
Racial Abuse and Disruption:
During the La Liga match between Real Madrid and Valencia on May 21, held at the Mestalla stadium, Vinicius Junior reported racist chants from opposition fans to the referee.
The game was briefly paused due to his complaints, causing a controversial interruption in the match.
Despite the incident, Real Madrid went on to win the game with a 1-0 victory.
Brawl and Red Card:
Following the racial abuse, Vinicius Junior became involved in a brawl with Valencia forward Hugo Duro.
Video footage reviewed by the video assistant referee (VAR) showed Vinicius pushing Duro to the ground.
As a result, the referee gave Vinicius a straight red card, despite the ongoing racial attacks directed at him from the stands.
Global Condemnation:
The racial abuse suffered by Vinicius Junior attracted significant attention and condemnation worldwide, particularly from his teammates in the Brazilian national team.
Spanish government spokeswoman Isabel Rodriguez expressed the country’s commitment to combating such behavior, condemning it and promising efforts to eradicate it.
Punishment for Valencia:
In response to the racial attacks against Vinicius Junior at Valencia’s Mestalla stadium, football authorities in Spain have imposed sanctions on the club.
The South Stand of the stadium, where the racial abuse originated, will be closed down.
Additionally, Valencia is required to pay a fine of 45,000 euros for their involvement in the incident.
Valencia’s Response:
Valencia issued a statement on Tuesday, acknowledging their collaboration with the police and relevant authorities to investigate the events.
They emphasized that they have implemented the most severe penalty possible, imposing a lifetime ban from their stadium for any fans identified by the police for racist behavior.
Rescinding the Red Card:
The Spanish La Liga also decided to rescind the red card given to Vinicius Junior.
It was discovered after the game that Duro had initially held Vinicius by the neck, an action that constitutes a red card offense.
However, this incident had gone unnoticed by both the referee and the VAR during the game.
