La Liga Urges for Stronger Measures Against Racism Following Vinicius Junior's Abuse

Javier Tebas, the president of LaLiga, believes that the problem of racism in Spanish football could be addressed more effectively if his organisation had the ability to sanction clubs directly. This comes after Real Madrid's Vinicius Junior spoke out against the issue, having been subjected to 10 reports of racist abuse this season, with the latest incident occurring during a match against Valencia in May. The Spanish authorities were heavily criticised in response to this incident.

Tebas emphasized in a recent interview with We News that the league is limited by current laws and can only identify and report incidents of misconduct, with little to no punishment being enforced. He expressed the need for a shift in strategy to ensure that such incidents do not occur again in the future.

LaLiga has consistently displayed a strong commitment to ensuring fair play, particularly in relation to Vinicius. Our efforts have led us to take legal action on nine separate occasions, including instances where Vinicius was not even aware of the reported violations.

Given the volume of claims, we are seeking a shift in our approach that would grant us the authority to impose sanctions more directly.

Our goal is not just to report incidents of racism, but to have the ability to directly sanction the clubs responsible to prevent future occurrences. With the necessary powers, I am confident that we could put an end to the kind of racist insults that Vinicius and others have endured within six months. Without such authority, our only recourse is to report these incidents, but our ultimate aim is to have greater power and competence to enforce sanctions."

In situations where one lacks authority, making quick and resolute decisions can be a necessary measure. However, it appears that the Spanish government is not as swift in their decision-making as we would prefer. Nevertheless, the upcoming elections in Spain on July 21st present a legal possibility for change. Despite this, it is encouraging to see positive attitudes towards implementing necessary transformations.

Tebas previously laughed off a question about the number of Black people working in LaLiga, stating that he had not kept track. However, in a recent interview with We News, Tebas defended the league's diversity, stating that it surpasses that of Spanish society due to its international nature.

"Although I can't speak for every location, our office certainly has a diverse range of individuals from various ethnic backgrounds," he explained. "We have team members who are of Arab, Asian, Indonesian, Indian, and Black American descent, as well as those from African nations. Our team is a true representation of diversity."

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In LaLiga, diversity is not only present but celebrated due to the international nature of the league. As a result, if the percentage of races in LaLiga were to mirror that of the general population of Spain, we would still have a greater degree of diversity. In a recent interview, I highlighted the fact that we have players of all different races in the league.

During Real Madrid's match against Valencia in May, Vinicius was subjected to racist abuse from certain sections of the crowd. The abuse reached its peak when the game had to be stopped in the second half for a period of 10 minutes. During this time, Vinicius, visibly upset, approached the referee and pointed out the fans who he believed had been targeting him with their abuse.

After an altercation with Valencia striker Hugo Duro, he was sent off for violent conduct during added time. However, the Spanish FA (RFEF) later rescinded his red card. Despite this, the incident sparked an outpouring of support from various members of the sports community. As a result, Spain's State Commission against Violence, Racism, Xenophobia and Intolerance in Sport has punished seven individuals involved in different racist attacks against Vinicius.

Valencia contested the punishment they received for their fans' racist abuse towards Vinicius, which resulted in a five-match stadium ban and a £39,000 fine. The club deemed the punishment to be "totally disproportionate" and lodged an appeal. The appeal resulted in a reduced stadium ban of three games and a fine of £23,500.

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