Brazil’s Lula Wants Racist Soccer Clubs Banned from International Matches

Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva wants that soccer clubs and national teams of racist countries stop participating in world competitions, and that clubs receive punishment.

The request was expressed in a letter to the President of the international soccer federation FIFA (Fédération Internationale de Football Association), Joseph Blatter, and explained this Wednesday, March 8, in a special edition of President Lula’s radio program "Breakfast with the President".

In the letter, Lula said that requested severe measures from FIFA, and explained that he decided to write it after watching on TV scenes of racial prejudice, by fans of European clubs, against Brazilian players. "I’ve already seen it happen against Roberto Carlos, in Spain, and against Heitor".

Racial discrimination and soccer are opposite concepts, in the President’s viewpoint. For him, the former is hateful, while the latter means peace and happiness.

"We need to go there to show our best, our happiness, to cheer, play, and respect the athlete who is the artist playing the game."

Lula emphasized that disrespect cannot be part of the game. "The person who pays for the ticket to the game has the right to boo and to celebrate.

"But has no right to express his prejudice, neither in a soccer stadium, nor in a theater, on the streets, or at home. Prejudice is an illness that we need to treat very rigorously in order to eliminate it, once and for all, from the world."

Agência Brasil

Tags:

You May Also Like

Brazil Wins. Nobody Cares.

Brazil has won earlier this month the 10th World Beach Soccer Championship, for the ...

Brazilian Amazon Travel Agency Signs Agreement to Fight Child Sex Tourism

If you Google "child sex tourism," you'll read about those who travel abroad to ...

Lula, Brazil’s Mr. Gardiner

Our own tele-idiot is very real and has already conquered Brasília. Our President analyzes ...

Bolivia Says It Will Respect Accords with Brazil, But Gas Prices Will Go Up

The president of Bolivia’s government hydrocarbons corporation YPFB, Jorge Alvarado Rivas guaranteed gas supplies ...

Brazilian-made Embraer-190 jet

Lufthansa Upgrades Order: It Now Wants 30 Brazilian Embraer 190 Jets

Brazilian aircraft builder Embraer confirms that it has entered into a preliminary agreement with ...

Priest, Friend of Zelaya, Leaves Brazil Embassy in Honduras. Only 16 Left Now

Father Andress Tamayo, a priest from El Salvador, has left on November 16 the ...

GM Brazil Sees No Crisis and Invests US$ 1 Billion in Two New Models

As announced this Wednesday, July 16, General Motors will invest US$ 1 billion to ...

‘Pig-Headed’ Brazil’s Lula Talks to Bush, Says World Will Still Get Trade Accord

The President of Brazil, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva says that he believes the ...

JBS, Brazil-Based World’s Largest Beef Processor, Raises Capacity by 25%

JBS, a Brazilian company which is the world's biggest beef processor said this Monday, ...

After Thieves Grab a Picasso Brazil Vows Better Security for Federal Museums

The director of the Museums department of Brazil’s National Historical and Artistic Heritage Institute ...