Spanish government joins investigation into racist abuse at Bernabeu

MADRID : The Spanish government, LaLiga and Real Madrid reacted strongly on Sunday after allegedly racist abuse was directed at Barcelona players during Saturday’s match at the Bernabeu Stadium.

Spanish media reported that 17-year-old Barcelona forward Lamine Yamal, who is of Equatorial and Moroccan descent, was among the players targeted by xenophobic and racist abuse during El Clasico. Barcelona beat arch-rivals Real 4-0, Yamal among the scorers.

Spain’s Supreme Sports Council (CSD) condemned the incidents and said it would meet on Monday to discuss the case.

The State Commission against Violence, Racism, Xenophobia and Intolerance in Sport, the CSD, the police and civil guard, the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF), LaLiga and the State Attorney General.

“LaLiga will immediately report the racist insults and gestures received by Barcelona players to the Hate Crimes Section of the National Police Intelligence Brigade, as well as the coordinating prosecutor of the Hate Crimes and Discrimination Unit of the State Attorney General’s Office,” it said. LaLiga. in a statement.

“LaLiga vehemently condemns the incidents at the Santiago Bernabeu and remains steadfast in its commitment to eradicate any kind of racist behavior and hatred inside and outside the stadiums.”

REAL MADRID INVESTIGATION

Real Madrid said they had opened an investigation to identify the perpetrators so that action could be taken.

“Real Madrid strongly condemns any kind of behavior involving racism, xenophobia or violence in football and sport and deeply regrets the insults that some fans uttered last night in one of the corners of the stadium,” a club statement read. .

Barcelona did not respond to a Reuters request for comment.

Spanish Migration Minister Elma Saiz also condemned the incident.

“We will not allow aggression that we do not tolerate in other spaces to become normalized in sport,” she said in a statement.

The RFEF said it operates a zero-tolerance policy on racist abuse and violence in stadiums, calling it a “social scourge”.

“The RFEF will work with all people and institutions that are part of sport and society to end violence and insults at sporting venues and events,” the RFEF said.

The RFEF and LaLiga have taken steps to tackle the rise in racist abuse with measures including partial stadium closures.

Four people were arrested and questioned in Spain on Thursday on suspicion of running an online hate campaign encouraging fans to racially abuse Real Madrid’s Brazilian forward Vinicius Jr in the build-up to last month’s match with Atletico Madrid .

In June, the Magistrate’s Court of Valencia handed down the first conviction for racist abuse at a football stadium in Spain, following the investigation into racial abuse directed at Vinicius at the Mastella stadium.

Vinicius, who has become a prominent figure in the fight against racism in both Spain and world football after suffering several instances of racist abuse over the past two years, showed his support for Barcelona’s players.

“There is no place for these criminals in our society,” he said of the perpetrators. “I know that Madrid and the police will do things to identify and punish the culprits.”