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04/24 07:42 CDT Spain heads to World Cup with its image battered by cases of
racism, sexism and xenophobia
Spain heads to World Cup with its image battered by cases of racism, sexism and
xenophobia
By TALES AZZONI
AP Sports Writer
MADRID (AP) --- First came the racist abuse against Vincius Jnior. Then the
unwanted kiss by the nation's top soccer official. And now Spain is dealing
with the fallout of anti-Muslim chants during a friendly match against Egypt.
Success on the pitch for both Spain's women and men's teams has been partially
overshadowed in recent years by incidents of racism, sexism and xenophobia.
As the World Cup approaches, concerns have been raised about whether meaningful
cultural change is happening in Spain, one of the title favorites.
"It's not a very good image for Spain right now, but we can't mistake these
acts by minority groups, usually the ultra groups, with the actions of the
majority of fans in Spain," said Esteban Ibarra, head of the Madrid-based
Movement Against Intolerance, Racism and Xenophobia.
Spain is one of the co-hosts of the 2030 World Cup, and cleaning up its image
abroad is seen as a priority. The Spanish government and local soccer officials
have been working hard to dismiss the notion that Spain is a racist country.
They have called recent incidents in soccer --- including the anti-Muslim
chants last month --- isolated cases that can be blamed mostly on the actions
of a minority of radical fans.
"The first thing we must bear in mind is that these acts, which we condemn in
the strongest possible terms, have been perpetrated by a group of people who in
no way represent the vast majority of Spanish soccer fans," Spain's Higher
Council for Sports, the nation's top sports authority, told The Associated
Press in a statement.
"The chants were deplorable and cannot be repeated," it said. "We are confident
that the Spanish men and women attending the World Cup this summer will support
our team with passion and always with respect."
Lamine Yamal speaks out Spain was drawn into a World Cup group that includes Saudi Arabia, an overwhelmingly Muslim country. It was in the March 31 friendly against Egypt --- another predominantly Muslim nation --- that a group of Spanish fans sang the anti-Muslim chants that made headlines worldwide. They also jeered Egypt's national anthem in the match in Barcelona. "These actions are entirely unacceptable in football stadiums and represent a negative phenomenon that must be collectively addressed and eradicated," the Egyptian Football Association said. The chants happened despite the presence of Spain star forward Lamine Yamal, who is Muslim. On the next day, he called the chants disrespectful and intolerable, and said it didn't matter that they were not directed at him personally. "I understand that not all fans are like that, but to those who chant these things: Using a religion as a taunt on the field makes you look ignorant and racist," the 18-year-old Yamal said. "Football is for enjoying and cheering, not for disrespecting people for who they are or what they believe." Spanish police opened an investigation into the behavior of the fans during the game, and FIFA opened disciplinary proceedings against the Spanish soccer federation. The Spanish federation has used the popularity of Yamal as an example of how the recent incidents don't represent the nation's fanbase as a whole. It noted that Yamal's shirt is the best-selling Spain jersey and that he is the most sought-after player everywhere the team goes. The federation also noted several actions and campaigns that have been taking place in Spain, with the participation of the government and other soccer entities, against intolerance and discrimination in sports. Abuse against Vincius sparked action against racism Spain was widely criticized for its lack of action against racism in soccer after Real Madrid's Brazilian forward Vincius said he was racially abused in a Spanish league game in Valencia in 2023. Vincius, who is Black, said at the time that the Spanish league "now belongs to racists" and Spain "is seen as a racist country." He has since nuanced his description of Spain, but continues to speak up against racism in the sport. "I'm not saying that Spain or Germany or Portugal are racist countries, but there are racists in these countries, and in Brazil and other countries as well," Vincius said after praising Yamal for his condemnation of the anti-Muslim chants last month. "But if we keep fighting together, I think future players and people in general won't have to go through this again." There was widespread support for Vincius after the 2023 match in which he threatened to leave the field in Valencia after a few members of ultra groups called him "monkey." The number of cases of racial abuse against the Brazil international decreased as authorities started to take more significant action. The first conviction for racism-related cases in professional soccer in Spain came after Vincius' repeated complaints, and fans were punished in other cases as well. A recent Supreme Court ruling set a precedent for more severe sentences in cases of intolerance in sports, another step forward for Spain in the fight against discriminatory actions. Federation says it has changed since the Rubiales scandal Not long after the abuse against Vincius, the Spanish soccer federation faced another scandal involving the behavior of then-federation president Luis Rubiales. Rubiales resigned and was eventually found guilty of sexual assault for grabbing player Jenni Hermoso's head and kissing her on the lips after Spain won the 2023 Women's World Cup final. Critics said the scandal highlighted a culture of sexism in Spanish soccer. The federation says the incident prompted internal change, noting that 50% percent of its board of directors is now composed of women, who are also in several top managerial positions. Spanish fans expected to behave at the World Cup During the World Cup, the federation does not expect problems involving Spanish fans, in part because it can try to keep members of radical fan groups from buying tickets for Spain's matches by monitoring the identity of those making mass purchases. "In theory, during the World Cup there isn't really the risk that these types of cases will happen," Ibarra said. "Especially now that Spain is on alert because of the international repercussion of the recent incidents, and more severe measures are expected against these Spanish ultra groups that are responsible for these acts." The Spanish government said it has been working for years "in a coordinated and effective manner with government agencies, state security forces, federations, clubs and fans to prevent a few hooligans from tarnishing our sport." The government also noted it has "one of the most advanced systems in Europe" to combat intolerance acts, with an anti-violence commission in place to coordinate actions by authorities, prosecutors and other institutions involved. The men's team heads to the World Cup as the defending European champion. Since its disappointing round-of-16 elimination in the World Cup in Qatar, Spain also won the Nations League in 2023 and was runner-up last year. ___ AP World Cup coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/fifa-world-cup |
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