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‘Enough is enough’ – FIFA confirm Vinicius Junior will lead special anti-racism committee.
A FIFA anti-racism committee will be led by Vinicius Junior of Real Madrid in an effort to increase player participation on the subject of prejudice in football.
Gianni Infantino, the president of FIFA, promised that FIFA would collaborate with prosecutors in various nations to better enforce criminal punishments and advocate for stiffer sporting penalties.
Infantino continued by saying that he had invited Vinicius, the subject of 10 incidents this season that were reported to prosecutors, to lead a team of athletes who will cooperate with the governing body.
Speaking to Reuters, Infantino said: “There will be no more football with racism in it. The games should be stopped immediately when it happens. Enough is enough. We need to hear the players and what they need to work in a safer environment. We are very serious about it.
“We will implement very blunt and strong punishments to end once and for all with the problem of racism in football. We can’t tolerate racism anymore. As president of FIFA, I feel I needed to talk personally with Vinicius about it.”
The insults Vinicius endured at many La Liga venues over the past year has brought racism to the forefront of public discourse.
There is some optimism that something constructive might be possible now that the league and the Spanish Football Federation have both pledged their support for the player.
The might of football’s world governing body and the assistance of elite players should speed up the procedure even more.
Vinicius is anticipated to play in Saturday’s exhibition match between Brazil and Guinea.