Frank Christian
Over the last ten years, global football has made it a priority to establish effective anti-racism measures.
FIFA has promoted a structured response to racial abuse during matches, consisting of three steps: pause, suspend, and abandon. However, many believe this process has not effectively addressed the issue.
Spain’s football league has faced significant challenges with racial abuse, particularly affecting black players who have experienced derogatory chants and hate on various platforms, from stadiums to social media.
Real Madrid’s Vinicius Junior has been a prominent advocate for stronger actions against racism, even suggesting that Spain could lose its right to host the 2030 FIFA World Cup if these issues remain unresolved.
In response to these concerns, the Spanish football federation and La Liga have become the first to implement a new anti-racism protocol, which FIFA aims to standardize in leagues worldwide.
Understanding FIFA’s ‘no racism’ gesture
FIFA has introduced a new gesture for players and referees to indicate that racial abuse has occurred during a match.
According to the updated guidelines, players can now cross their arms at the wrists to create an X shape, signaling to the officials and spectators when they experience racist behavior.
If a player uses this gesture, the referee will initiate the pre-established three-step measures to address racial abuse, starting with pausing the game until the abuse subsides, followed by suspension or abandonment of the match if necessary.
“By crossing their arms, players can directly alert the referee to any racial abuse, which activates the anti-discrimination response,” FIFA stated in their announcement on anti-discrimination actions.
Referees who observe racial abuse can likewise use this gesture to indicate that the established procedures will be followed.
Usage of the ‘no racism’ gesture
In leagues that adopt these new guidelines, players can employ this gesture when facing racial abuse.
The crossed arms will alert referees of any targeted abuse, enabling them to take appropriate action.
Referees can also use the gesture to indicate ongoing racist insults and to activate the three-step protocol.
While this guideline does not drastically alter existing policies, it is expected to improve transparency for spectators. This could, in theory, prompt quicker responses from referees when racial abuse is identified.
Currently, many instances of on-pitch discrimination go unnoticed, allowing referees to hesitate in enforcing the three-step process. With the new guideline, there will be a clear indication of when a player has been abused, encouraging timely referee action.
Implementation timeline for La Liga’s ‘no racism’ gesture
The Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) did not provide a specific timeline for rolling out this gesture, but it appears that La Liga will integrate it into their processes immediately based on the language used in their announcement.
“Together with La Liga, the Royal Spanish Football Federation will incorporate the gesture for incidents of racial abuse, as approved at the last FIFA Congress in Bangkok,” the RFEF stated. “An agreement has been unanimously adopted to combat racism together and effectively.”
Spain has seen numerous cases of racial abuse in football, particularly affecting players during La Liga matches. Vinicius Jr. has been a frequent victim and has been vocal against what he perceives as a systemic issue with racism in the country. He notably suggested that Spain should be denied the chance to host the 2030 FIFA World Cup if the situation does not improve.
Progress is being made, as evidenced by the imprisonment of three individuals in June 2024 for racially abusing Vinicius during a May 2023 match between Madrid and Valencia.
The Brazilian player shared his thoughts on X: “Many told me to ignore it, while others claimed my activism was pointless and I should just ‘play football.’ But, as I’ve consistently stated, I am not a victim of racism; I work against it. This landmark conviction in Spain is not just for me but for all black individuals.
“Let other racists fear, feel shame, and retreat to the darkness. If not, I am here to confront them. I appreciate La Liga and Real Madrid for making this historic judgment. There is more to come.”
Are there other leagues using the ‘no racism’ gesture?
At present, no other major leagues have adopted the crossed-arms gesture, but La Liga is not the first competition to adopt this process globally.
This gesture is already in use at the 2024 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup taking place in Colombia.
