President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva on Monday denounced the racial taunts directed at Real Madrid star Vinicius Junior after learning that another Brazilian had been victimized at Valencia during a league game.
After the G7 summit in Hiroshima, Japan, Lula addressed a press conference and said he wanted to express “solidarity” to the 22-year-old forward.
“He was attacked. He was called a ‘monkey,’” Lula said.
“It’s not possible, in the middle of the 21st century, to have such strong racial prejudice in so many football stadiums.
“It’s injust that a poor kid who’s done so well in life, who may be on his way to becoming the best in the world — he’s certainly the best at Real Madrid — gets insulted at every stadium where he plays.”
Midway through the second half of Sunday’s game, which Real Madrid ultimately lost 1-0, play was stopped after it looked that a Valencia fan had racially assaulted Vinicius.
Later on in the game, when Vinicius was dismissed for striking Hugo Duro of Valencia during a brawl, chaos ensued.
After the game, Vinicius, who has endured numerous instances of racial abuse in Spain, took to social media to vent.
“It wasn’t the first time, nor the second or third. Racism is the norm in La Liga. What used to be the league of Ronaldinho, Ronaldo, Cristiano and Messi has become the league of racists,” he wrote.
“But I’m strong, and I’ll fight the racists to the end. Even if it’s far away from here.”
Lula called for FIFA and the Spanish league to take “serious measures”.
“We can’t allow fascism and racism to take hold in football stadiums,” he said.
There was an outpouring of support for Vinicius on social media.
Fellow Brazil international Richarlison, retired legend Ronaldo and music icon Gilberto Gil were among those who condemned the racist treatment he has received in Spain.