By Natalia Rueda 
On Monday, Brazilian soccer star Vinícius Júnior posted a powerful video to his social media accounts, putting a spotlight on the racism he’s experienced at Spanish stadiums such as Mestalla, Camp Nou, and Jose Zorrilla. The video featured several instances of racist chants and insults directed at him, including “monkey,” “black bastard,” and “black sh*t,” as well as a doll with his shirt hung from a bridge.
In the accompanying post, Vinícius pens an impassioned plea, asking how many of the racists will have “their names and photos posted on web pages” and how many have “had to tell a sad story or apologize publicly.” He ends with the statement that “racism is a crime” and the widely-echoed refrain of “until when?”
Vinícius’ appeal has gained widespread attention across Europe, and authorities in Spain have already made four arrests for the hanging doll with the shirt of Real Madrid’s Vinicius Júnior from a bridge in Madrid at the end of January.
The arrests come after the 22-year-old Brazilian soccer star suffered further racist abuse during a LaLiga match in Valencia this week. Investigations, based mainly on testimonies, identified four fans who, according to police, were the “alleged perpetrators” of the events.
The incident has sparked outrage throughout the country and abroad, with Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti publicly calling for “drastic measures” to be taken against racism in Spanish football stadiums. In a statement he said, “Racism has no place on a football pitch or in society. We must work together to eradicate this problem from our game. We must do more, and do it now.”
For years, soccer stars, sports organizations, and fans have sought to end systemic racism, but progress has been slow. Many feel that the issue has fallen on deaf ears as the conversation is all too often dismissed as an “isolated case” or “the work of an amateur.” Vinícius’ plea has been a timely reminder that racism is still an all-too-common problem in soccer and that legislators need to step up to protect people of color.