Real Madrid

Mayor of Madrid wades into Vinicius Junior racism row – ‘I request that he rectifies his words immediately’

Mayor of Madrid Jose Luis Martinez-Almeida has asked Real Madrid star Vinicius Junior to retract his words on Spain possibly being stripped of the World Cup in 2030. The Brazilian said that the country needs to sort out its issues with racism before the tournament can take place there.

Last week, Vinicius gave an interview to CNN declaring that he would walk off the pitch with his Real Madrid teammates were he to suffer racial abuse this season. He also noted that it was important for players to feel comfortable, and that while Spain was improving with regard to its handling of racism, if it did not evolve sufficiently, the 2030 World Cup should be held elsewhere than Spain.

This was not commented on much, but with the international break underway, all four of Spain’s major sports papers and television programme El Chiringuito led with it as a headline story  on Tuesday evening that Vinicius was asking for Spain to be stripped of the World Cup.

Martinez-Almeida said that he would be by Vinicius’ side whenever he suffers racism, but that he had made a mistake with his words.

“We are all aware that there are racist episodes in society and that we have to work hard to eliminate these racist episodes. But it is deeply unfair to Spain and, particularly, to Madrid, to say that we are a racist society and, furthermore, to put the hosting of the 2030 World Cup in danger. I ask you to rectify it, you have to apologise, know that when there is a racist episode you will have us all by your side, but you will not have us all by your side when you say. that we are racist. Because that is not true. When you make a mistake you have to rectify it,” he said during a public statement, as quoted by Marca.

The politician for the centre-right party said that his talent on the pitch does not make him immune to mistakes. It is worth pointing out that Martinez-Almeida has close ties to Real Madrid President Florentino Perez, with the pair appearing at events together. The Mayor is pushing for the highly controversial parking project below the Santiago Bernabeu, which will see Los Blancos make a large profit.

“Being an extraordinary football player does not mean that he cannot make a mistake, and this time he has made a mistake. Vinicius has the vast majority of Spanish society at his side to combat racism, but we cannot be at his side when he calls practically the entire Spanish society and particularly Madrid society racist because I cannot accept it.”

“He must value that he lives in one of the most open, most welcoming and most diverse cities in the world. If something characterises the city of Madrid, it is that no-one is asked where they come from or where they are going. Here nobody considers that or is excluded. That he has to have endured certain regrettable episodes does not justify calling practically the entire Spanish society racist and saying that the 2030 World Cup should not be held here.”

Clearly, Martinez-Almeida has not watched the interview, as Vinicius explicitly says that he does not believe that all of Spanish society is racist. The Brazilian is quite right when saying that Spain must continue evolving with regard to racism, and that more action must be taken.

Nevertheless, it is curious he should bring up the World Cup being held elsewhere. Vinicius clearly has more of a link to Spain, but has not made the same arguments about Qatar, who have committed countless human rights abuses in the name of discrimination, nor has he noted that the 2034 host of the World Cup, Saudi Arabia, also has a dreadful record on human rights and discrimination. Former teammate Toni Kroos has spoken out about the matter, but Vinicius has always been positive about playing in Saudi Arabia during Real Madrid’s visits to play in the Spanish Supercup.

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Tags 2030 World Cup Brazil José Luis Martínez Almeida Real Madrid Spain La Roja Vinicius Junior
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