LaLiga to sue over racial abuse of Vinicius Junior by Atletico Madrid fans

LaLiga has announced its intention to lodge a formal complaint with Spain’s prosecutor’s office following racist abuse directed at Real Madrid’s Vinicius Junior by Atletico Madrid supporters. This incident occurred before Atletico’s UEFA Champions League game against Inter Milan at the Wanda Metropolitano Stadium on Wednesday, March 14.

Videos on social media captured Atletico fans chanting “Vinícius chimpanzee” at the player, who was not participating in the match. LaLiga expressed its commitment to making football a hate-free environment and its determination to combat any form of racism, homophobia, violence, and hatred.

Vinicius Junior has previously experienced racism within the league, highlighting it as a recurring issue. Last year, he criticized LaLiga on social media for its passive stance towards racism, emphasizing that such behavior seems to be normalized within the league. The Brazilian forward’s call to action stressed the importance of addressing racism, especially in light of Spain’s bid to host the 2030 World Cup.

The Brazilian President, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, supported Vinicius, advocating for a definitive end to racism in football. Yet, the situation escalated when Mikel Camps, a Barcelona board member, made derogatory comments about Vinicius, which he later removed from X, dismissing the racism and instead criticizing the player’s behavior on the field.

Despite multiple complaints filed by LaLiga concerning the treatment of Vinicius and other players, there has been little advancement in addressing these racist incidents effectively.