Shining in solidarity, Rio's Christ the Redeemer goes dark in support of Vinicius Jr who was racially abused

As a show of solidarity towards Vinicius Jr, who experienced racial abuse during a club match in Spain, the lights illuminating the renowned Christ the Redeemer statue in Rio de Janeiro were switched off for an hour on Monday night.

Brazilian government demands action

At 6:00 PM local time, the lights were turned off, symbolising a united stance against the racial slurs directed at the Real Madrid player during a Spanish league game on Sunday. The Archdiocesan Sanctuary, responsible for the management of the monument, collaborated with the Brazilian Football Association and the Observatory of Racial Discrimination in Football to carry out this act.

Earlier on the same day, the Brazilian government called upon Spanish and sports authorities to take action against those accountable for the "racist attacks" targeting Vinicius Jr. FIFA President Gianni Infantino also expressed his solidarity, joining numerous other notable figures in the sports world, including Kylian Mbappe, Rio Ferdinand, and Formula One driver Lewis Hamilton, who voiced their support for the Brazilian forward.

Vinicius acknowledges wide-scale support

In response to the support he received, the 22-year-old international player from Brazil shared a photo on Twitter, showcasing the statue's silhouette against the moon, and expressed his gratitude.

"Black and imposing. Christ the Redeemer was like this just now. An action of solidarity that moved me. But I want, above all, to inspire and bring more light to our struggle," he wrote.

Luis Rubiales, the head of the Spanish Football Federation, acknowledged the existence of a genuine issue of racism within the country's football, recognising that traditional methods such as press releases have lost their effectiveness.

Published on: Thursday, May 25, 2023, 10:04 AM IST