THE Spanish football officials who are currently searching for ways to end the sickening abuse which Real Madrid winger Vinicius Jr is regularly subjected to could do worse than look to a groundbreaking Glasgow league for inspiration.
The Scottish Unity Football League (SUFL) was formed back in 2000 to “challenge racism and sectarianism” and “bring the people of the city closer together” - and has been doing both with some success ever since.
SUFL has a strong connection with Brazil – they play in the Vasco da Gama Cup every year in honour of the club which helped to create a more inclusive culture in sport in the South American country by refusing to comply with a ban on black footballers in the 1920s.
Their coaches and players have been appalled at the treatment which Brazilian forward Vinicius Jnr has suffered this season; he has been targeted by fans during matches, was called a monkey live on national television and an effigy of him was hung from a motorway bridge near the Real training ground.
They gathered together wearing t-shirts with “Somos todos irmaos e irmas do Vinicius Jr” – which, when translated from Portuguese, reads “We are all brothers and sisters of Vinicius Jr” – emblazoned across them at Holm Park in Clydebank this weekend in a mass display of support.
“The players of the SUFL felt strongly that they wanted to show solidarity with Vinicius Jr,” said SUFL chairman Raphael Brown. “The sustained abuse this young man has faced, and continues to face, is scandalous.
“The SUFL was founded to bring people of different backgrounds together to play football in an environment free of racism and prejudice. We are all the brothers and sisters of Vinicius Jr. We wanted him to know that he has our support and the support of millions of others around the world.
“Regrettably, many of our players have also experienced racism and prejudice both in other football leagues and in wider society, hence they know from personal experience how it feels to face aggressive ignorance.
“We just wanted Vinicius Jr to know that for every person who abuses him there are a million other people who support him and want the best for him and thank him for all the joy his incredible football talent brings - and his dancing too!”
Abdul Bostani, the Glasgow City Council councillor who is the managing director of Glasgow Afghan United, and Jim McNeill, who has refereed in the league since its inception 23 years ago, explained the approach which the SUFL takes.
“The league was formed, as the title suggests, to promote unity and to challenge racism and prejudice,” said Bostani. “We have some special rules that the Spanish football authorities may wish to consider.
“Every team must sign a declaration stating that they are opposed to racism and bigotry, that their team is open to all and that their only selection criteria will be 'the ability of the individual, the character of the individual and the collective balance of the team.”
"The SUFL has had a rule since day one that if a player is sent off for a racist and or sectarian offence then they are immediately suspended for a minimum period of three months,” said McNeill.
“They will not be allowed back into the league unless they write to the player or players they abused apologising and expressing regret for their behaviour. Even then, the player may not be allowed back in the league depending on the severity of their actions.”
Glasgow Afghan United manager Elalio Haji said: “This league is unique - it has players of all backgrounds, races, colours, religions and everyone mixes together and loves their football.
“I manage the Afghan team in the league, but my heritage is from Tanzania. There are some incredible stories behind many of our players. Many have come to escape war, poverty and prejudice in their own countries.
“The SUFL welcomes them and helps them find new friends and integrate into their new society while still rightly celebrating their indigenous identities too.”
Brown added: “Our league has a Brazilian connection too. Each year we have a cup competition called the Vasco da Gama Cup.
“At the cup final match, a statement is read out to remind people that Vasco da Gama were the first team in Brazil to play black players when all the players in the other teams were white.
“The directors of Vasco sowed the seeds of the diversity that the Brazilian national team shows today and is a symbol of the diversity of the nation. The Player of the Match in the Vasco da Gama Cup receives a Vasco da Gama shirt.”
Vinicius Jr sparked a storm of controversy in December when he claimed that La Liga had done nothing to combat racism. But Carlo Ancelotti, his manager at Real, agreed with the player last month. The legendary Italian stated: “It is a problem we have to solve”.
The Scottish Unity Football League has proved that it can be done.
