LaLiga President Javier Tebas Apologizes for Comments on Vinicius Jr. Incident
The Incident
Javier Tebas, the President of LaLiga, has apologized for his controversial comments on social media following the racist abuse suffered by Real Madrid player Vinicius Jr. during the match against Valencia on Sunday (7th November). The game was halted for 10 minutes after Vinicius pointed out fans who were abusing him, before he was involved in an altercation with Valencia players, which eventually led to him being sent off.
The Apology
Tebas apologized for his comments on Twitter in which he suggested that Vinicius should find out more about what the league is doing to combat racism before criticizing and slandering the league. In an interview with Reuters, Tebas said, “I mean, to all those who have understood that this was an error due to the form, due to the time…I have to apologize.” He added that it was not his intention to attack Vinicius and blamed “the heat of the moment.”
Tebas’ Anger with Spanish Authorities
Tebas mentioned that he shared Vinicius’s frustration over the lack of action to eradicate racism in Spain and criticized soccer organizers and Spanish authorities, saying neither were doing enough to clamp down on racism. He highlighted that he felt “impotent” to tackle racism in soccer, and under the current Spanish law, LaLiga could only detect and report racist incidents, urging legislative changes for sanctioning powers to be able to fight racism more effectively.
Editorial and Advice
The incident involving Vinicius Jr. and the subsequent comments made by Javier Tebas has once again highlighted the issue of racism in soccer. It’s 2021, and yet we still see this type of behavior during matches. It is unacceptable.
While Tebas should be commended for apologizing, his comments have brought to the forefront the inherent limitations to the fight against racism. The situation in Spain is not unique; it is a global problem. More needs to be done to educate players, fans, and those involved in soccer about the impact of racism and the importance of solidarity and inclusion.
For those in power, legislative changes are necessary to impose sanctions that will effectively fight the scourge of racism in soccer. Organizers need to ensure that matches are safe, and fans should be held accountable for their actions. Racism should not be tolerated in any form and should be eradicated from soccer.
As fans, we can also do our part to fight racism, by educating ourselves and our peers on the impact of racist behavior and language. We can hold those in power accountable and demand swift action against perpetrators of racist acts. Together, we can create a more inclusive soccer environment, where everyone, regardless of their race, can enjoy the beautiful game.
<< photo by Alex Green >>
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