Alex Trelinski
REAL MADRID striker Vinicius was questioned for around 40 minutes on Thursday by a judge investigating racist insults directed at him during his side’s La Liga match at Valencia on May 21.
The Brazilian international was abused by fans making monkey sounds and racist gestures during his team’s defeat at the Mestalla Stadium.
The player gave testimony via a video link from a Madrid court to the judge in Valencia, who is investigating whether what happened constitutes a hate crime.
According to judicial sources, Vinicius said he felt ‘offended’ by the insults he received that day, which were due to the ‘colour of (his) skin’.
In a statement, Valencia CF said it ‘rejected’ reports that Vinicius had said ‘all of the Mestalla stadium hurled racist insults’ at him.
“Valencia supporters cannot be classified as racist and Valencia CF demands that Vinicius publicly change his alleged statement this morning,” the statement added.
Three men aged between 18 and 23 were arrested on suspicion of being the perpetrators of the insults and have been given life-time bans on entering the Mestalla Stadium.
They acknowledged the facts but denied any hateful or racist intent against the player.
One of them was identified by Vinicius at the stadium with the other two picked out via CCTV footage.
The trio have already testified before the judge and are investigated in an open case for an alleged hate crime, although they have denied their behaviour was motivated by racism.
La Liga, in its capacity as a private prosecutor in the case, has provided the court with an expert report of the reading of the lips of the fans prosecuted with the intention of contradicting their statements over what they said and chanted.
READ MORE:
- Spain will play Brazil in ‘anti-racism’ football friendly in support of abused Vinicius Jr
- Police arrest four men for hanging dummy of Real Madrid player Vinicius from bridge in Spain
- Real Madrid forward Vinicius calls La Liga and Spain ‘racist’ after racial insults from fans at Spain’s Valencia
