Three Arrested for Racist Abuse of Yamal and Raphinha During El Clásico

Three Arrested for Racist Abuse of Yamal and Raphinha During El Clásico

In a significant step forward in the fight against racism in football, Spanish police have arrested three individuals in connection with racist insults directed at Barcelona stars Lamine Yamal and Raphinha during last month’s Clásico at the Santiago Bernabéu. The arrests come after the players were subjected to vile abuse during Barcelona’s emphatic 4-0 victory over Real Madrid.

The incident occurred late in the match, a game that saw both Yamal and Raphinha find the back of the net in a dominant performance by the Catalan side. The abuse, which was captured on video, prompted swift action from LaLiga, which filed a formal complaint and provided evidence, including recordings and a lip-reading expert’s report, to the authorities.

“Three arrests have been made for racist insults aimed at two footballers during October’s Clásico,” the police confirmed on social media on Saturday. “Those arrested made xenophobic statements that violated the dignity and moral integrity of both players.”

LaLiga’s Fight Against Racism

LaLiga has been increasingly vocal in its efforts to combat racism, a problem that has plagued Spanish football for years. In a statement released on Saturday, the league reiterated its commitment to eradicating racism from the sport.

“The arrests follow a complaint filed by LaLiga, which provided recordings of the incidents and a report from a lip-reading expert to the police,” the league said in a statement. “At LaLiga, we continue to fight to end racism inside and outside of football.”

Unfortunately, this is not an isolated incident. The issue of racism in Spanish football has been thrust into the spotlight repeatedly, with Real Madrid forward Vinícius Júnior being one of the most high-profile victims. Speaking earlier this week, Vinícius said he has “suffered a lot and still suffers” from the abuse he has endured since arriving in Spain in 2018. However, he acknowledged that progress is being made, with more perpetrators being identified and held accountable.

Recent Legal Actions Against Racism

There have been several landmark cases in recent months that signal a shift in how Spanish authorities are addressing racism in football:

• In June, three Valencia fans were jailed for eight months for racially abusing Vinícius during a LaLiga game in May 2023. This marked the first verdict of its kind in Spain.
• In September, a Spanish court handed a 12-month suspended sentence to a Mallorca supporter who used racist insults against Vinícius and Villarreal’s Samuel Chukwueze in February 2023.
• Last month, four individuals were arrested for a hate campaign targeting Vinícius.

LaLiga president Javier Tebas has been outspoken about the need for harsher penalties, including prison sentences, for fans who engage in racist behavior. In an interview with ESPN in September, Tebas said the league would “take the fight to the very end.”

Yamal’s Rising Star and Challenges

For Lamine Yamal, the abuse is a dark cloud over what has otherwise been a meteoric rise. The 16-year-old forward has become a key player for Barcelona since making his debut as a 15-year-old in 2023. However, this is not the first time he has been targeted. Earlier this year, a Movistar pundit was fired for a racist comment about Yamal before Barcelona’s Champions League clash with Paris Saint-Germain.

Raphinha, too, has been a vital part of Barcelona’s squad, and the abuse he faced during the Clásico is a stark reminder of the challenges players of color continue to face in the sport.

Vinícius Speaks Out

Vinícius Júnior, who has been a vocal advocate against racism, was quick to condemn the abuse aimed at Yamal and Raphinha. “What happened was terrible, and there’s no room for these criminals in our society,” he said. “I know that Madrid and the police will act to identify and punish the guilty.”

While the arrests are a step in the right direction, the fight against racism in football is far from over. As LaLiga and its players continue to push for change, the hope is that incidents like these will become a thing of the past.