Real Madrid accused of providing unproven evidence of racial abuse

Real Madrid have had their appeal against Vinicius Junior’s red card received during their 2-1 win over Valencia rejected, with a ruling that is as detailed as it is concerning.

One of the grounds upon which Real Madrid claimed that Vinicius should be left without the two-game sanction was that the Brazilian was on the end of racist abuse from Valencia fans, which could be classed as a mitigating factor and provocation. However the Appeals Committee say they were unable to verify the claims of racial abuse.

After the clash at Mestalla, Real Madrid TV broadcast footage from two Real Madrid fan channels on YouTube, where racist abuse could be heard. That footage was then used as part of Los Blancos’ club appeal, alleging that this had an impact on the Brazilian. The following is an excerpt from their ruling.

“The video, edited and made up of several sequences from different matches, only allows us to hear two isolated individuals, at two different times uttering racist insults, then showing the video evidence of different sequences of generalised chants such as “Beach Ball, Vinicius Beach Ball” or “idiot, idiot” which from an objective point of view do not fall into the category of racist insults denounced by the appealing club.”

“This Committee, as could not be otherwise, categorically rejects racist, xenophobic or intolerant behaviour, chants or attitudes, but this rejection of such should not prevent the rigorous analysis required by the complaint, without this Committee, in light of the evidence in the file, being able to consider the “serious racist chants” reported by the appealing club as proven, nor therefore take them into consideration from the point of view of constituting a circumstance that could mitigate the disciplinary responsibility derived from the action committed by the player.”

This is not to say definitively that the racial abuse did not occur, but certainly it is concerning that Real Madrid did not investigate the material before making such serious accusations, and using it as part of an official appeal.