Real Madrid and Spanish football authorities on Sunday voiced their disapproval of racist abuse hurled at FC Barcelona players, particularly during Saturday’s highly anticipated El Clasico clash.
The game, which saw Real Madrid suffer a 4-0 defeat to their storied rivals, was overshadowed by offensive behaviour from some Madrid fans, specifically directed at Black Barcelona players, including 17-year-old Lamine Yamal.
Yamal, a rising star who also plays for Spain’s national team, was subjected to taunts after becoming the youngest player in history to score in an El Clasico, a major milestone typically celebrated.
Real Madrid released a strong statement condemning these actions, underscoring the club’s stance against “racism, xenophobia, or violence” and lamenting the actions of “a few fans” within the stadium.
Their statement was part of a larger wave of criticism from major Spanish football institutions.
La Liga, the country’s top professional league, also spoke out, promising swift accountability measures, saying, “La Liga will immediately report the racist insults and gestures received by Barcelona players to the Hate Crimes Section of the National Police Information Brigade, as well as informing the Coordinating Prosecutor of the Hate Crimes and Discrimination Unit of the State Attorney General’s Office.”
This incident has intensified calls for reform, with the Royal Spanish Football Federation (emphasizing that racism remains a “social scourge” and reaffirming a zero-tolerance policy toward abuse and violence within the sport.
The federation has previously enacted strict penalties, including closing entire stadiums, to curb such behavior, and the recent episode may spur additional measures.
The Spanish Supreme Sports Council announced that its Commission against Violence, Racism, Xenophobia, and Intolerance will meet to discuss the case further, a move that underscores the importance of tackling this issue head-on.
The Spanish government also reacted strongly. The Minister for Inclusion and Migration, Elma Saiz, addressed the abuse against Yamal on X, asserting, “The racist insults aimed at Lamine Yamal in the Clasico are everything we in the government will fight against. We will not allow attacks that we do not tolerate in other spaces to become normalized in sport.”
Minister of Education, Professional Development, and Sport, Pilar Alegría, echoed this sentiment, emphasizing that “neither racism, nor insults, nor violence have a place in our country’s sport.”
This ongoing issue has drawn attention to Spain’s recent efforts to impose harsher penalties on offenders.
In June, three fans of Valencia were sentenced to eight months in prison after abusing Real Madrid’s Brazilian forward Vinicius Jr., who had experienced repeated targeting in the 2022-23 season.
Following this, prosecutors sought longer terms for other offenders, pushing for four-year sentences against Atletico Madrid fans charged in a separate racist incident. Just this week, four individuals were detained for allegedly orchestrating an online hate campaign against Vinicius.
Vinicius, who has become a prominent figure in the battle against racism in football, publicly expressed support for Yamal and his Barcelona teammates on X, stating, “There is no place for these criminals in our society. I know that Madrid and the police will do things to identify and punish the guilty.”
His message of solidarity highlights the ongoing struggle within Spanish football to eliminate racism and ensure a safe environment for players and fans alike.
