La Liga and its complicated history with racism after Vinicius Jr reignites debate

Racism is one of the most sensitive topics that has always been a part of football. La Liga Spain’s top division team records to be in the breaking news recently after the most recent incident of Real Madrid’s Vinicius Jr being sent off against Valencia on Sunday as the Brazilian star was shown a red card after clashing with the home side in the extra-time, the reason being racism. 

Racist chants from the players and fans, including the words that target the athletes' skin continue to plague the Spanish football. La Liga, on the other hand, has taken great steps in recent years to confront and eliminate racism within its ranks.

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This article delves into La Liga's dark history of racism, providing light on past episodes and their impact on the league and its players. It also dives into the proactive efforts and activities implemented by La Liga to promote tolerance, diversity, and equality on and off the pitch. La Liga's initiatives, from awareness programs to strict disciplinary penalties, demonstrate a commitment to eradicating racism and creating a more inclusive environment for all involved in the beautiful game.

Wilfred Agbonavbare

In season 1992-93 La Liga, the famous Rayo Vallecano goalkeeper Wilfred Agbonavbare was the target of racist abuse from Real Madrid fans. The player was abused on live TV by fans. The defeat of Real Madrid was attributable to "that n******r from Rayo" and the referee Juan Andjar Oliver, much to the joy of the young supporters chanted negative words for the player.  During the same live TV report, a 13-year-old Real Madrid supporter verbally threatened the Nigerian custodian. 

When asked about the abuse suffered, Wilfred stated "That's normal, I am dark-skinned and having made many saves, I expected people to shout at me. But I am a footballer and this is nothing, I am very focused on [playing] my match". An anti-racism graffiti was dedicated to Wilfred by the Bukaneros, a far-left ultras organization from Rayo Vallecano. 

Luis Enrique

Luis Enrique was abused racially after he left Real Madrid in 1996 as his transfer to FC Barcelona was controversial. He faced racism from many supporter groups of Barcelona's rivals.  He received chants abusing him which referenced the Nigerian striker. The chant implied Emmanuel Amunkie, the Nigerian striker who played for the Catalan club. The harassment continued, as demonstrated in 2016 when a man yelled the song at Luis Enrique, then the coach of Barcelona, as he exited the bus at the El Prat airport the day before their Champions League match against Manchester City FC. 

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Dalian Atkinson

Dalian Atkinson, a former player for Aston Villa, returned to the Premier League club shortly after leaving Spain after one season. He asserts that racism was a big role in his quick departure from Real Sociedad and that it happened to him when he was a player there. He maintains that racism bothered him and that he was unhappy with the treatment he received.

READ MORE: Real Madrid Winger Vinicius Jr Drops Disturbing Video Of Being Racially Attacked

Félix Dja Ettien

Félix Dja Ettien, an Ivorian midfielder, was subjected to racial abuse when he first joined Levante (where he played from 1997 to 2008); the coach disregarded him because he couldn't speak Spanish; and anytime he got sick, he was blamed for having malaria or AIDS. 

Thierry Henry

During a training session in 2004, Spain national team head coach Luis Aragonés made racist and obscene remarks against Jose Antonio Reyes' former teammate, Thierry Henry. This sparked outrage in the British media, prompting calls for Aragonés to be fired. Following an investigation, UEFA penalized the Royal Spanish Football Federation 100,000 CHF and warned of worse penalties in the future. Aragonés won an appeal against the crime on February 7, 2007, and the misdemeanor was reduced to "conduct that could be considered racist."

Dani Alves

In 2014, Dani Alves was targeted by Villareal fans as they threw bananas at him while the Brazillian star was taking a corner for FC Barcelona. However, the player was wise to respond to the situation as Alves picked up the fruit and ate it.   Cyrille Regis, who was racially insulted as a player in the 1970s and 1980s, voiced concern that the viral campaign will divert attention away from the essential issue of eradicating racism in the game. Alves stated that whoever threw the banana at him should be publicly shamed, and a man was detained in connection with the incident on April 30, 2014. Villarreal was subsequently fined €12,000 for the incident.

How LaLiga tackles situations related to racism?

Vinicius Jr.'s support following the racist incident he encountered during his match against Valencia in the 2022–2023 campaign has brought attention to the need for tough measures against those who advocate racism. The Real Madrid vs Valencia is the prime incident from where things can be taken into action to remove racism from LaLiga that can set a great example for the football world.

While penalties have been imposed, there is a growing call for more stringent action. Currently, La Liga does not directly oversee the disciplinary process. Instead, they collect evidence of discriminatory incidents and present it to the Antiviolence Committee, which then reviews the evidence and recommends a punishment to the public prosecutor.

As a result, separate organizations are charged with imposing sanctions. However, it is frequently noticed that the justice department does not take legal action despite the proposed charges. The only other entity with the authority to act is the Competition Committee of the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF), although even they base their decisions on a variety of reports, including those from RFEF delegates, TV directors, and, if available, the police.

Therefore, neither entity has the authority to close stands or ban sections of fans at present. Given the frequency and gravity of the incidents this season, the demand for more decisive action is warranted. However, it appears that none of these organizations are willing to take on the responsibility of imposing more substantial sanctions. Hence, it seems unlikely that such measures will be implemented. Considering the significant impact of the recent events, both La Liga and the RFEF may seek reforms to empower them with greater authority in the future.