The president of saints, Andres Ruedaconfirms that he has spoken with the leaders of other Brazilian clubs about the possibility of them jointly deciding to withdraw their teams from the field during matches in Brazil or abroad where racist acts have been recorded.
Rueda defended the possibility after the São Paulo club denounced in a statement that its players Angelo and Joaquim were called “monkeys” by rival fans during Wednesday’s game in the Chilean city of Rancagua where he visited Audax is holy for the Cup South American.
Despite the fact that Conmebol has already announced the opening of an investigation into the new case of racism, the leader of Santos said that the sanctions of the entity do not manage to stop racist attacks and a stricter position is needed. “Conmebol has been notified and now we are waiting. Some solution has to be made because we want an immediate response,” Rueda said in an interview he gave to the digital portal of the newspaper Folha de Sao Paulo.
The manager added that he would prefer other clubs to agree to a more vigorous response, such as withdrawing the team from the pitch. “It is an alternative that hurts. The idea is, before any manifestation (of racism), no matter where, to say goodbye. The team has to be withdrawn from the field,” he said.
The leader admitted that he needed the support of other clubs because he would find it difficult to achieve anything acting alone. “I don’t like the way things are taking. Are they going to penalize the club (whose fans commit racist acts) with a fine or with loss of points? That’s not the solution. It’s not going to solve. Those in football command, federations, Conmebol, CBF or FIFA, a real solution must be found,” he said. According to Rueda, if the leaders won’t act, the solution will have to come from the clubs.
A problem that does not occur in one country
The leader affirmed that cases of racism in football have acquired an international dimension due to the attacks suffered by Brazilian Vinícius Júnior during Sunday’s match between Real Madrid and Valencia for the Spanish League, but clarified that the said cases are not isolated and the problem is global. “This is not a problem of one country. It is also happening in Argentina, here in Brazil… And it will not stop with soft measures,” said the Spanish-born Brazilian leader.
This week the case of Colombian striker Hugo Rodallega, victim of racist insults in the Copa Sudamericana match between Gimnasia y Esgrima La Plata and Independiente Santa Fe played in La Plata, Argentina, was also denounced.
Source: La Verdad
I’m Rose Herman and I work as an author for Today Times Live. My expertise lies in writing about sports, a passion of mine that has been with me since childhood. As part of my job, I provide comprehensive coverage on everything from football to tennis to golf.
