The president of the International Football Federation (Fifa) Gianni Infantino called for a match to be stopped in the event of racist incidents on Thursday after speaking to Brazilian Real Madrid player Vinicius, the target of racist abuse the month last. “We must not just talk about racism and discrimination, we must also act, decisively. We advocate zero tolerance, ”said the boss of Fifa, quoted in a press release from the body.
“Racism is incompatible with football! In this case, the game must be stopped. Referees have this option at their disposal in Fifa competitions. We have procedures planned for this purpose, but measures must be taken at all levels, including national,” he continued. After meeting with Vinicius and the Brazilian team on an internship in Barcelona, Infantino announced that Fifa would create a working group to make concrete recommendations in this area, with for the Brazilian player “an important role” to play, Fifa said.
At the end of May, Vinicius Junior complained of having been called a “monkey” during his club’s defeat against Valencia (1-0), as part of the Spanish Championship. This incident, which once again casts the shadow of racism over Spanish football, sparked a wave of international indignation.
