Striker of Real Madrid, Vinicius Jnior has been the target of several racist attacks during football matches in Spanish competitions, and on many occasions, there has been no punishment for those responsible. The player, who has already demonstrated his anger at the lack of positioning of the The leaguelaunched the campaign Racism, don’t pretend you don’t see, which highlights its fight against prejudice in Black Consciousness Daycelebrated nationally on November 20th, with media broadcast throughout Brazil and even in New York.
Touring all the capitals of the country, the initiative is just one of the actions led by Vini Jr. With the aim of proposing a debate on Spanish legislation and identifying racism and racial insults as crimes, the athlete seeks to ensure that cases like those that frequently occur in La Liga may have a compatible punishment as an outcome.
In August of this year, faced with various criticisms regarding its position, the organizer of the Spanish championship recognized its error and announced a platform to denounce racist acts in the stadiums, in addition to proposing other actions to combat this type of crime.
In one of his recent actions on social media, Vini Jr. set up a team that identifies perpetrators of racist acts who remain anonymous and uses the appropriate resources to prosecute them. In addition to these attitudes, the player also launched this Monday (20) an Anti-Racist Education Manual. The content has 60 pages and aims to offer support for schools in the country to become more inclusive environments and move away from habits that encourage prejudice.
Activism in football
As we can see in everyday life, not only with Vinicius Jnior. Many athletes and fans suffer or have suffered racism at games, inside or outside the stadiums, and on social media. Therefore, Brazilian teams and organizations are increasingly committed to changing this scenario, not only for athletes, but for society as a whole. Within clubs, there are already some punishments for fans and support to identify aggressors, but not enough.
In support of the cause, the Corinthians promote discussion on the topic throughout this week. By means of posts, content and special actions, Timo will propose reflections on equality, racism and black empowerment. On social media, the São Paulo team’s account features notable black characters in the club’s history.
The team will also highlight one of the most traditional symbols of this fight, the striped number 2 shirt, whose origins date back to the fight against racism and the inclusion of marginalized people in sport. This Tuesday (21), the team’s Social Responsibility team will receive, from the community, TeleAtlas, 30 black children who play football. Black women’s football players will be present, and Grazi will lead a conversation with the children.
Furthermore, the club will unite art, history and football against racism. Ten Fine Art engravings of the work ‘Futebol’, by Francisco Rebolo (1902-1980), will be autographed by players from the men’s football squad. The original painting, by the same artist who created the Corinthians shield, was the first to portray a black man on equal terms competing in a football match against a white man, in 1936.
This encounter between current players and the memory of the fight for equality in football will provide two other actions. In the first, the men’s football squad will debate the topic through personal stories and other impressions, reflecting on awareness of race and racism today. In another activity, autographed copies will be sold, with 100% of the proceeds going to the social project ‘Plano de Menina’, an institution that seeks to empower girls from the periphery and connect them to professional opportunities.
In Corinthians’ match against Bahia, next Friday (24), the two clubs will unite through a patch special in their uniforms, symbolizing the black struggle. The teams will posts together on social media, with the message #JogoContraORacismo. Before the match starts, there will be a minute of silence with the message displayed on the stadium’s telephones. Material will also be produced telling about the fight against racism by both clubs, with Fernando Wanner, Corinthians historian.
Cuiab and Agro Amaznia
Partners since 2021,Cuiab and Agro Amaznia are also together in yet another initiative to value cultural diversity and combat racism. The club and the agribusiness company came together to launch a shirt in honor of Black Awareness Day.
The piece features, on the back, a drawing of a clenched fist, which has become a symbol in the fight against racial prejudice. Another highlight are the illustrations on the sleeves, which reference African culture. The new piece is designed by Dourado, the club’s own brand.
More than a club, we are spokespersons for society. We believe that football is for everyone. More than launching a shirt for our fans, we use this date to encourage reflection on a point in which humanity still needs to evolve. We will always fight any type of discrimination, on and off the field, and the shirt is a way we found to symbolize this fight that we all have, highlights Cristiano Dresch, president of Cuiab.
The shirt that celebrates the important date is now available in Dourado Store units and can be purchased online at e-commerce from the store.
* With information from MKT Esportivo | Cover photo: Reproduction/Internet
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