ZURICH — Brazil and Real Madrid star Vinícius Júnior has agreed to affix a brand new activity drive to deal with racism in soccer, FIFA president Gianni Infantino mentioned Thursday.

Vinícius has been the topic of sustained racist abuse by followers in Spanish stadiums all through the season, with little performed by referees or soccer our bodies to guard him.

That should cease, Infantino mentioned in an Instagram submit after he met the participant at a Brazil coaching camp in Spain.

“There is no football if there is racism! So let’s stop the games,” Infantino wrote.

“We will also strengthen the engagement with players on this crucial topic so I am glad Vinicius accepted to be part of a task force which will include other important players and will elaborate concrete and efficient measures to end racism in football once and for all.”

FIFA created an anti-racism activity drive in 2013 after a infamous incident of abuse suffered in Italy by AC Milan midfielder Kevin-Prince Boateng, who's Black.

Boateng labored with the duty drive which FIFA shut down in 2016, months after Infantino was elected. FIFA mentioned then the duty drive had “completely fulfilled its temporary mission.”

Infantino mentioned Thursday that extra needs to be performed to implement soccer’s present three-step coverage to cease video games when gamers are racially abused.

He additionally referred to as on followers who intention racial abuse “to be banned from stadiums across the globe.”

“We want to identify racists in stadiums and across social media. They are criminals,” the FIFA chief mentioned. “The authorities need to take these people to court and we will say this to all of them: Racism is a crime.”

Copyright © 2023 The Washington Times, LLC.

Content Source: www.washingtontimes.com