Madrid: Real Madrid coach Alvaro Arbeloa said Friday that Spain was a tolerant country and not racist, despite Islamophobic chanting during a national team match this week.
Sections of the crowd at Spain’s friendly against Egypt on Tuesday sang “whoever doesn’t jump is Muslim” during the game at Espanyol’s RCDE Stadium in Cornella. Spain and Barcelona forward Lamine Yamal, who is Muslim, criticised those chanting as “ignorant and racist”.
Arbeloa defended Spain while insisting racist attitudes should be eliminated. “I think Spain is not a racist country, if it was we would have a problem every weekend at all of the stadiums,” Arbeloa told reporters. “I keep thinking we have to eradicate any racist attitude at stadiums, and in society... Spain as a country has to keep fighting to get rid of these attitudes. “(However) I think we’re a great country, very tolerant, and with these kind of situations we shouldn’t generalise.” Real Madrid striker Vinicius Junior has been racially abused at several stadiums across the country in high-profile incidents in recent years. Four months later Vinicius squared off with fans abusing him at Valencia’s Mestalla stadium, in an incident which gained him worldwide support in his battle against racism.
