The state of Rio de Janeiro has approved a bill that provides for the suspension of football matches in case of racist behavior, a first step in this area in Brazil after the new insults suffered by Vinicius at the end of May in Mestalla.
The text, presented to the State Legislative Assembly, provides that “in the event of a complaint or proven racist behavior”, matches are delayed for a time specified by the organizer of the event, or suspended if the events are repeated or work of a group. Anyone can report a suspected racist act to the authorities, the bill says.
It follows a new wave of racist attacks against Real Madrid’s Brazilian player Vinicius Jr, who was the target of racial slurs during a Spanish league match against Valencia in late May. The case caused a scandal, which led to several arrests accompanied by harsh punishments and fueled criticism of the Spanish federation.
The controversy “reinforces the need to create a policy that encourages respect as a protocol to fight racism in stadiums,” said the representative and author of the bill, Prof. Josemar. Especially since in Brazil complaints of racism in stadiums will increase by 40% in 2022, according to preliminary data from the Observatory of Racial Discrimination in Soccer.
The proposal approved by the State of Rio (center) is part of the “policy + Vini Jr + to fight racism”. It also provides for the dissemination of half-time awareness campaigns and the implementation of public policies to help victims of racist acts.
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.
