Racism hinders Spain’s candidacy for the 2030 World Cup: "They can use it as dirty game"

Experts in venue selection processes warn: “You have to be drastic with racism and Negreira”

The worldwide echo of the racist aggression suffered by Vinicius has generated a stain on Spanish football, a shadow that The league tries to shake off but RFEF recognize. We have a racism problem, admitted the president Luis Rubiales. In addition to these episodes of structural racism that have reached the courts in recent years, there are investigations into alleged arbitration corruption derived from the so-called Negreira case. Everything, one year after the 211 federations that make up FIFA decide where it will be held in World Cup 2030to which Spain presents a candidature along with Portugal and Morocco.

We don’t know if racism is going to influence because there is a year to go, but it would be good if drastic measures were taken to clear up the slightest doubt. It is not a good message that everything ends up archived. It is the ninth time that it has happened with Vinicius and it has had worldwide significance. who speaks is Miguel Angel Lopez, the former director of the RFEF who was director of the Iberian Bid formed by Spain and Portugal that opted for the 2018 and 2022 World Cups, surpassed by Russia and Qatar. He knows what the ins and outs of FIFA are like and what interests prevail. Any excuse, together with the economic power of another candidacy, can undermine the Spanish commitment. I don’t think Infantino is interested in pointing to Spain, a very important federation, and even less so after Qatar. I think everything will calm down when the competition ends in a week, but I don’t remember a campaign like this. They must prepareassures.

It is not the first time that a shadow of suspicion separates Spain from the race to host international sporting events. Happened twice with Madrid Olympic bid. For the 2016 Games, a question from Alberto de Monaco about the security in the capital sowed doubt. It was 2005 and ETA had not yet laid down its weapons. In 2013, when he was competing for the 2020 Games, he was the doping and the international blows derived from ‘Operation Puerto’. Both were a drag that was not even noticed.

We didn’t see it as a disadvantage. No one from the IOC transferred it to us like that, remember Theresa Zabel, director of International Relations of the candidacy. There were two issues that existed. Nobody denied them. Perhaps the problem was the communication management. We weren’t prepared to bring up the silver lining of 40 years of experience in counterterrorism or anti-doping operations to keep the sport clean, she admits. Her experience says that these shadows you have to stop them at source. All the estates have to position themselves and send a forceful message of zero tolerance. The most important thing is the fairplay image on and off the pitch, says the former Olympic sailing champion.

campaigns and sanctions

While the Police identify and arrest three of the attackers, and the Prosecutor’s Office continues its investigations, the RFEF and LaLiga have set aside their confrontations to unite in a campaign under the slogan ‘Together against racism’. In addition, the Federation has also released ‘Racists, out of football’, which premiered yesterday in the Copa del Reina. An initiative with a double target audience: on the one hand, the people who engage in racist and xenophobic behavior and, on the other, the football fans as a whole so that, if they witness them, they are ugly and denounced, so that together and we all end up with a problem that damages the image of all Spanish football, says the RFEF.

Be enough? No one can know if they will bring it up, but some rival may use it as foul play, he warns. John of God Crespo, lawyer specializing in Sports Law. What you have to do is be prepared. Have all the reports ready, because the rival candidacies also have racism or human rights problems. arabian, together with Egypt and perhaps Greece, to lead a candidacy; the other, Uruguay with Argentina. Uruguay had Luis Surez banned for eight games for racist insults to Evra.

Crespo does not believe that the repercussions of what happened will condition the votes in the election of the headquarters. Spain has the support of Morocco, and the Alaouite kingdom with that of the African Confederation (CAF). Nobody is free from a racist episode and that is not why an entire stadium or an entire country is.. What is done is sanction, he insists.

This specialist believes that there are tools in Spanish sports legislation to do so. Mestalla faces a closureat least partially, from the stands where the events occurred and the VAR referee who showed the images that led to the expulsion of Vinicius, Iglesias Villanueva, not to video referee again this season nor will his contract be extended.

The closure is in line with UEFA’s measures and would be a proportionate sanction. And as for the referee, it is a strong message. If you have to do more? Laws and regulations will have to be changed. And that is already politics, concludes the lawyer.