(Bangkok) Football players will now be able to report a racist gesture or word to the referee by making an X with their hands, FIFA announced on Friday, as part of its fight against the discrimination that undermines this sport.
World soccer’s governing body said racism would be a specific offense in the sport’s disciplinary code, with “severe” penalties including the loss of a match.
A “global position against racism” was taken at the annual congress of 211 FIFA members in Bangkok, following several months of consultation with players who have suffered abuse from opponents or supporters.
Real Madrid star Vinicius Jr is one of the loudest voices to speak out against racism in football.
Frequently targeted by insults of this type in Spanish stadiums, the 23-year-old Brazilian striker recently burst into tears while speaking at a press conference about this fight against discrimination, for which a symbolic friendly match between Spain and Brazil was organized at the end of March.
Several football matches, particularly in Europe, have been further disrupted in recent weeks by racist incidents in the stands, which sometimes forced referees to interrupt matches.
“There are problems in football,” admitted the president of the International Federation Gianni Infantino in April, calling for “to be united to fight racism […] and violence.”