BARCELONA – Vinicius Junior complained on Sunday about an alleged racist act by stadium security aimed at one of his staff before the friendly between Brazil and Guinea in Barcelona.
The Selecao wore black shirts in the 4-1 victory at Espanyol’s stadium on Saturday night to protest against racial discrimination after the Real Madrid winger had been abused by Valencia fans, provoking global outrage, in May.
It was one of several incidents in which Vinicius was racially abused in Spain.
“While I was playing in the already historic black shirt and getting emotional, my friend was humiliated and mocked at the entrance to the stadium,” wrote the 22-year-old on Twitter early on Sunday.
“The treatment was sad... to make everything public, I ask those responsible: where is the security camera footage?”
During a search at the entrance to the stadium, a security guard allegedly abused Vinicius’ friend and adviser, Felipe Silveira, 27.
“Hands up, this is my gun for you,” he is accused of saying, while taking a banana out of his pocket, according to an extract from the complaint filed by the player’s friend, published by Brazilian news website Globo Esporte.
Silveira and three other members of Vinicius’ staff complained and called police to the scene, the Brazilian website added.
Footage broadcast by Brazilian channel SporTV shows heated exchanges between the player’s friends and staff at the stadium. The guard and the security company denied the allegations, the Brazilian media reported.
The Brazilian football federation (CBF) said it had taken action as soon as it became aware of the complaint and called on the police and match organisers to “give their full support and protection to yet another victim of racism, a crime that must be fought vehemently and relentlessly”.
“Today, once again, another criminal has been publicly exposed,” said CBF president Ednaldo Rodrigues.
Vinicius has been the victim of racist abuse on many occasions in the past two seasons.
Brazil decided that the friendly was a good opportunity to strike back, as the match was staged on Spanish soil.
In a powerful move, Brazil abandoned their iconic yellow-and-green shirts and were instead kitted out in an all-black strip in a stand against racism for the first half of the game.
The CBF was behind the gesture, accompanied by the slogan of “Com racismo nao tem jogo” (With racism, there is no game).
Vinicius, wearing the No. 10 jersey, got on the score sheet with an 88th-minute penalty, by this time kitted out in Brazil’s usual colours.
Newcastle forward Joelinton was well placed to tap in the opener on the goal line on 27 minutes, while Rodrygo curled home the second three minutes later.
Stuttgart striker Serhou Guirassy pulled a goal back with a close-range header on 36 minutes but Eder Militao restored the two-goal lead shortly after the restart, rising high to meet a cross at the far post.
Earlier in the week, the Spanish and Brazilian football federations presented their plan for a friendly match at Real’s Santiago Bernabeu in March 2024, to combat racism following global outrage at the abuse of Vinicius.
World football governing body Fifa also announced plans to create an anti-racism task force in which Vinicius would have a “prominent role”. AFP, REUTERS
