Atlético Madrid have issued a statement after the Madrid derby against Real Madrid, explaining they will ban the supporters who took part in the racist chanting against Vinícius Júnior.
The statement reads as follows: “Atlético de Madrid roundly condemns the inadmissible chants that a minority of fans made outside the stadium before the derby. Racism is one of the biggest scourges of our society and unfortunately the world of football and clubs are not free from its presence. Our club has always been known for being an open and inclusive space for fans of different nationalities, cultures, races and social classes and a few cannot tarnish the image of thousands and thousands of Atlético fans who support their team with passion and respect for their opponents.
“These chants provoke enormous repulsion and indignation and we will not allow any individual to hide behind our colours to utter insults of a racist or xenophobic nature. At Atlético de Madrid we have zero tolerance for racism, our commitment in the fight against this social scourge is total and we will not stop until we eliminate it. To this end, we have contacted the authorities to offer them our full cooperation in the investigation of the events that took place outside the stadium and to ask them to identify the people who participated in order to proceed with the immediate expulsion of those who are members of the club.
“We would also like to invite all professionals involved in the world of football to reflect deeply. Making clear once again our strongest condemnation of these events, which have not the slightest justification, we believe that what has happened in the days leading up to the derby is unacceptable. Fans are asked for sanity and rationality and yet, during the week, professionals from different fields generated an artificial campaign, lighting the fuse of controversy without measuring the repercussions of their actions and manifestations.
“The pain felt by the red and white family for this event is enormous. We cannot allow anyone to link our fans with this type of behaviour and question our values because of a minority that does not represent us. Our decision is firm and emphatic and we will not stop until we expel them from the Red and Whites’ family because they cannot be part of it.”
GSFN
