The government of "Rio de Janeiro" has named a new anti-racism law after Real Madrid forward Vinicius Junior. The law stipulates the suspension or cancellation of sporting events in the event of any racist behavior. Brazilian media reported that "the law is inspired by the incident involving Vinicius at the Mestalla Stadium, where the match was halted for several minutes as the player confronted the fans who had insulted him in the stands."
The Rio government unanimously passed the "Vinicius Junior Law" last June. It includes measures for filing complaints against racism and launching awareness campaigns.
The Minister of Sports in Rio, Rafael Picciani, stated that it is an honor to commemorate "a symbol of Brazilian football who was born and raised in Rio. In addition to his sporting achievements, Vinicius has become a symbol in the fight against racism."
The Brazilian forward faced racist abuse from fans when Real Madrid played against Valencia in La Liga last May, marking the tenth such incident against Vinicius, as reported by the league’s prosecutors during the same season.
