Real Madrid forward Vinicius Junior faced questioning from a Spanish judge probing the racist abuse incident that marred a La Liga match in May.
During the game, fans allegedly subjected the Brazilian international to racial slurs, including shouts of “monkey” and other offensive gestures.
Both public prosecutors and La Liga filed lawsuits in response to the incident, which occurred during Real Madrid’s 1-0 loss at Valencia’s Mestalla Stadium on May 21.
Real Madrid condemned the chants as a “hate crime,” and Brazil officially protested to the Spanish ambassador.
Vinicius Junior was questioned via videoconference by a Valencia judge investigating the potential hate crime from a court in Madrid.
He expressed feeling “offended” by the insults he received that day, attributing them to the color of his skin, according to Spanish media citing judicial sources.
Valencia Football Club, however, refuted Vinicius’s claim that “all of the Mestalla stadium hurled racist insults” at him, demanding a public correction.
Consequently, they released a statement: “We wish to express surprise, rejection and indignation. We demand that Vinicius publicly rectify his alleged statement”.
During the match, Vinicius Junior pointed out a suspected culprit among the home fans, leading to a delay in the game.
Referee Ricardo de Burgos Bengoetxea intervened, and an announcement was made over the stadium’s PA system.
Additionally, they were calling for an end to racist insults before play resumed.
Following the match, Vinicius released a statement strongly criticizing Spain, claiming that the country was known as a “country of racists.”
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Three young men were arrested in connection with the insults, although they acknowledged their actions, they denied any hateful or racist intent toward the player.
One of the suspects was identified by Vinicius at the stadium, while CCTV footage led to the identification of the others.
The incident highlights the ongoing issue of racism in sports and the need for continued efforts to combat such behavior.
