The spokesman for the United States Department of State, Matthew Miller, has condemned this Wednesday the "horrible" racist insults that the Real Madrid player Vinícius Junior received last Sunday during a match against Valencia.
"Obviously, we condemn racism around the world, wherever it occurs, including in sports, and we applaud any effort to bring it to light and fight it," Miller said during a press conference. "We have seen the images and they obviously seem horrible to us," the spokesman said.
In the appearance, Miller also highlighted the effort of the Spanish authorities to deal with racism and that they have taken measures as a result of what happened in the Mestalla, after the Provincial Prosecutor of Valencia opened proceedings to determine if the insults could constitute a hate crime.
A few hours earlier, the UN high commissioner for human rights, Volker Türk, also condemned the insults to the Brazilian player and asked the organizers of sporting events to implement "strategies to avoid racism in sport."
"The racist abuse suffered by Vinicius Junior this Sunday reminds us of the prevalence of racism in sport," Türk said at a press conference. "Much more is needed to eradicate racial discrimination, and it must start with listening to people of African descent, involving them and taking real steps to address their main concerns," added the Austrian high commissioner.
