Spain: FIFA President Gianni Infantino has called for a “zero tolerance” approach towards racism in football, urging referees at all levels to halt matches if incidents occur. Infantino’s statement came after a meeting with Real Madrid’s Vinicius Junior, who has been subjected to sustained racist abuse by fans in Spanish stadiums throughout the season, with little intervention from referees or football authorities. Last month, Real Madrid filed a complaint stating that the racist abuse directed at Vinicius constituted a hate crime.

Infantino emphasized the need for action, stating that football authorities must shoulder responsibility and take decisive measures against racism. The President proposed that referees should utilize the existing process for stopping games in FIFA competitions to address such incidents. Infantino stressed that racism should not be seen as a societal problem excused within football but as a football-related issue requiring forceful action.

The FIFA President also expressed the intention to establish a task force, with Vinicius playing a prominent role, to provide specific recommendations. FIFA had previously created an anti-racism task force in 2013 following a high-profile incident of abuse suffered by AC Milan midfielder Kevin-Prince Boateng in Italy. However, the task force was disbanded in 2016, a move that has been criticized as a “monumental mistake” by Osasu Obayiuwana, a former member of the panel.

Infantino highlighted the need to identify and ban racists from stadiums worldwide, along with legal action against them. The President labelled those engaging in racist behaviour as criminals and called for their prosecution. FIFA’s renewed focus on combating racism in football reflects an acknowledgement of the persisting issue and the urgency to address it effectively.

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