Ronaldinho blasts racism following alleged slur by Mexican
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MEXICO
CITY (AP) — Mexican football got a boost in September when former
Brazil and Barcelona star Ronaldinho — a two-time FIFA player of the
year — joined modest local club Queretaro.
The
upbeat mood didn't last long. Even before he had played his first
match, he was the subject of a racist attack — the kind that has become
common for black soccer players across Europe.
Mexico has a history of racism on the pitch. But it was largely overlooked until the arrival of Ronaldinho.
Racism
in Europe often involves white against black. But in Mexico and other
parts of Latin America that have mixed-race societies, it can involve
dark-skinned people shouting insults at other dark-skinned people.
Carlos
Trevino, a former official of the Queretaro state government, launched
an attack on Ronaldinho on his Facebook page before the Brazilian had
played a single game. He had only just arrived in town, causing minor
pandemonium, when Trevino exploded.
"Seriously,
I try to be tolerant, but I hate football and the idiotic phenomenon it
produces," Trevino wrote. "I hate it even more because people flood the
streets, meaning it took me forever to get home. And all this to see an
ape; a Brazilian, but an ape just the same."
Following
a wave of criticism, Trevino apologized to the club and player. But he
received no punishment, which typifies how Mexican football officials
have dealt with the growing problem.
Decio de Maria, president of Liga MX — Mexico's top league — suggests racism is not a problem; just misunderstood.
"Mexico
is not a racist country," he said. "This is a country where we use
nicknames. On the streets, they single people out. There are profanities
that, when they are said, do not mean what they literally mean. Calling
someone by a nickname is not discrimination. Those who cross the line
should be taken to court," said de Maria.
Valeria
Berumen, a high-ranking official of a Mexican government office that
works to combat racism, says, "there are two engines that push
discrimination. One is football. The other is the Internet. They have
the ability to spread positive messages, but they also can spread
discrimination, racism and xenophobia."
Just
after the Ronaldinho incident, Colombian player Dorlan Pabon of the
Monterrey club heard fans calling him an "ape" in a match in the central
city of Leon. The club said it would investigate. By the end of
October, the club had not announced the results of its investigation.
The list of recent racist incidents in Mexico is growing.
In
February, fans of Pumas in Mexico City chanted monkey noises whenever
opposing Colombian players Eisner Loboa and Franco Arizala touched the
ball.
Last
year, Ecuadoran Christian Benitez complained about being the target of
monkey chants in a match in Mexico City. He was playing at the time for
America, another top club. Benitez died of a heart attack a few months
later after signing for Qatari club El Jaish.
Football racism is a nasty problem outside Mexico, too.
Brazilian club Gremio was kicked out of the Brazilian Cup earlier this year after its fans racially abused an opposing player.
In
a match this year at Spain's Villarreal, Barcelona's Brazilian defender
Dani Alves had a banana thrown at him. Alves, who is black, picked it
up, bit off a piece and then discarded it before taking his kick.
Earlier
this year the Mexican league adopted rules set by football's governing
body FIFA. They allow the referee to stop the match if racist incidents
take place. If they continue, he can take the teams off the field for 10
minutes. And if they persist, he can suspend the match.
So far, no Mexican referee has acted under any of these rules.
Daniel Luduena, an Argentine midfielder playing for Pumas, said the problem was worse at some stadiums than others.
"There's
not racism on all the fields in Mexico,' he said." The problem is,
perhaps, at three or four stadiums. But there is no reason to wait for
an extreme case before acting to stop it."
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