Filipe Luís clarifies stance on racism after controversy over comments about Vinícius Júnior
Flamengo coach Filipe Luís has issued a statement to clarify his position regarding the comments he made about a racism incident involving Vinícius Júnior. The controversy arose after Luís referred to the insult suffered by Vinícius Júnior in a European match as an “isolated case.” These statements generated criticism in Brazil, especially after Flamengo’s defeat against Lanús in the Recopa Sudamericana.In his statement, Filipe Luís emphasized that racism is unacceptable and must be firmly combated. He acknowledged that his words may have been misinterpreted due to the sensitivity of the issue. The former Atlético de Madrid and Deportivo de La Coruña player reiterated that his position is “non-negotiable” and recalled that racism is a crime in Brazil, so it must be treated with the same rigor in any country. He also expressed his “total support” for Vinícius Júnior, Real Madrid forward and trained in the lower categories of Flamengo. The controversy arose after the complaint by Vinícius, who accused the Argentinian Gianluca Prestianni, a Benfica player, of uttering a racist insult during a UEFA Champions League match. In a press conference, Filipe Luís had commented that he was always treated well in Argentina and stated that an “isolated case” did not change his perception of the country. In his final clarification, Filipe Luís reiterated that he never wanted to minimize Vinícius’ suffering and reaffirmed his absolute rejection of any form of discrimination in sport.Racism is unacceptable behavior, which must be fought and punished firmly.
Filipe Luís
