Gianni Infantino has charged referees to stop football games whenever racism incidents occur during a match.
The FIFA President made this known when he met Brazil and Real Madrid forward Vinícius Júnior, the victim of several shocking racism incidents while playing for his club this season, and sent a powerful message, saying that football cannot go on when there is discrimination.
The FIFA President, who also met the Brazilian national team and the Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) President Ednaldo Rodrigues, said that FIFA would set up a task force which will work with FIFA to make specific recommendations, with Vinícius Júnior taking a prominent role.
“It’s very important not just to talk about racism and discrimination, but to take action in a decisive and convincing manner – zero tolerance,” Gianni Infantino said after the meeting in Barcelona, Spain.
“FIFA is together with the Brazilian Football Confederation and with all the players in this fight. It’s important to introduce sporting sanctions and I congratulate CBF for having done so already.”
Gianni Infantino
The FIFA President stressed that it is imperative that match officials stop a match when players are subject to abuse. “There is no football if there is racism! So let’s stop the games,” he said.
“The referees have this opportunity in FIFA competitions as we have this process for stopping the game, and actions have to be taken at every level, at national level as well. Everyone has to understand this and we will go, together, until the end.”
Gianni Infantino
Vinícius Júnior Racially Abused
Vinícius Júnior was racially abused by fans when Real Madrid played away to Valencia in May, the latest such incident in which the 22-year-old has been a victim.
In Italy, where monkey chants swirled around the stadium in April as a Black player celebrated a goal. In England, where a banana peel thrown from a hostile crowd during a game in north London landed at the feet of a Black player after he scored a penalty. In France, where Black players from the men’s national team were targeted with horrific racial abuse online after they lost in last year’s World Cup final.
In Australia, where there were monkey noises and fascist chanting during last year’s Australia Cup final. In South America, where matches in the continent’s biggest competition, the Copa Libertadores, have been blighted by monkey chants.
In North Africa, where Black players from visiting teams from sub-Saharan Africa have complained of being targets of racist chants by Arab fans.
This shows that there is racism is at always everywhere around the globe. As authorities try to work around the clock, the FIFA President’s calls to stop games may do well to stem the issue out from stadiums.
