Real Madrid forward Vinicius Junior claims Spain should be stripped of its 2030 World Cup hosting duties, if they fail to tame racism issue in stadiums.
The Brazils number 7, who has been a constant victim of racist abuse from rivals fans in La Liga, said during an interview on CNN on Tuesday that things need to be done to totally eradicate such attitudes in Spanish society.
“Until 2030, there is a lot of room for improvement, so I hope that Spain can evolve and understand how serious it is to insult someone because of the colour of their skin,” the 24-year-old striker said.
“If by 2030 things don’t improve, I think we have to move the location because if a player doesn’t feel comfortable and safe playing in a country where they can suffer racism, it’s a bit difficult.”
His remarks provoked outrage in Spain, which along with Portugal and Morocco will host the 2030 World Cup. Three other matches will be held in Uruguay, Argentina, and Paraguay.
“Spain is in no way a racist country,” Vinicius’s Real Madrid teammate Dani Carvajal told a news conference on Wednesday, adding Spain “does not deserve to be deprived of the World Cup”.
“I know what Vinicius has to put up with but La Liga is improving and protocols are being drawn up so that these people can no longer take part in sporting events,” the defender said.
The coach of the Spanish national team Luis de la Fuente sided with Carvajal.
“There are always undesirables but Spain is not racist, it is an example of coexistence and integration,” he said.
Vinicius’s remarks were branded by conservative Madrid mayor Jose Luis Martinez-Almeida, as “deeply unfair” and suggested an apology from the Brazilian forward.
The first-ever conviction for racial abuse in Spain was granted to three Valencia supporters in June when a Spanish court sentenced them to eight months in prison for their actions against Vinicius Junior during a La Liga match last year.
Another individual received an eight-month suspended prison sentence in July for spreading racist remarks online about Vinicius and Antonio Rudiger, his German Real Madrid colleague.
