In the lead up to the International Day to Counter Hate Speech marked every year on 18 June, the United Nations Under-Secretary-General and Special Adviser on the Prevention of Genocide, Alice Wairimu Nderitu, reflects on hate speech in sports and why we should counter it:
Events that were both heartwarming and poignant unfolded in Madrid on Wednesday 24 May 2023. Inside Spain’s largest stadium, Santiago Bernabéu, the home team Real Madrid stood in solidarity with their teammate, Vinícius Jr, who days before had been a victim of hate speech.
The 23-year-old Brazilian star had endured racist chants during a match that had left him disenchanted and consequently expressing his desire to leave Spain and its football league, La Liga.
On that Wednesday night, however, as Vinícius Jr walked onto the pitch before Real Madrid’s match against Rayo, he may have felt a little different. All the players were donning ‘Vini Jr. 20’ shirts in solidarity with him. Players of the two competing teams held up a banner together that declared: “Racists, out of football”.
It is, as we have come to understand, a slogan for a new campaign initiated by the country’s sports authorities to fight racism in football – a blight that is not unique to one sport or one country.
Sport, especially football, attracts millions of viewers around the world, and because of this, hate speech uttered during a game, like we saw in Valencia, reverberates around the globe. But when players united to fight hate speech directed at Vini Jr., the whole world heard about it too, and it seemed to gain more traction than the original hateful chants
Not far from the Santiago Bernabéu, Madrid’s women’s team and basketball sides also wore ‘Vini Jr’ shirts before their games – another show of solidarity with the Brazilian star.
On that Wednesday night, unlike the Sunday before in Valencia, there was solidarity. There was humanity. There was promise, and hope.
Since then, numerous sports stars have come out in support of Vini Jr. following that ugly, despicable episode in Valencia, as have sports managers and politicians.
There is growing recognition that if this kind of hate is not fought, this beautiful game will continue to be afflicted by an ugly stain.
It is the recognition that, just as this hate is taught, it can be fought. We must do all we can to counter hate in all its forms, including those expressed in racist narratives and chants. This renewed recognition bears promise.
Indeed, we are all the same, in our diversity as human beings. But this sense of commonality can be quickly eroded by expressions of hatred on the basis of race, ethnicity, religion, nationality, gender, refugee and immigration status, disability, or any other form of identity.
My office works day and night to address and counter hate speech, which was very much on display in those racist chants against Vini Jr.
Situation in Brazil
Coincidentally, I had just returned from Vini Jr.’s home country, Brazil, where people of African descent like him, and indigenous peoples, continue to face challenges that need to be expeditiously addressed.
Sport, especially football, attracts millions of viewers around the world, and because of this, hate speech uttered during a game, like we saw in Valencia, reverberates around the globe. But when players united to fight hate speech directed at Vini Jr., the whole world heard about it too, and it seemed to gain more traction than the original hateful chants.
Within this context, we have, together with other partners, developed a Plan of Action to Counter Hate Speech through Engagement with Sports: the GAME PLAN, launched in December last year, which we started expanding with the ‘Eradicate Hate Sports Summit’ in the United Kingdom, hosted by the Liverpool Football Club in April this year.
The GAME PLAN is based on the UN Strategy and Plan of Action on Hate Speech and is fully aligned with international human rights law, in particular, the right to freedom of expression and opinion – a right which is to be protected, and not misused.
There is growing recognition that if this kind of hate is not fought, this beautiful game will continue to be afflicted by an ugly stain
The GAME PLAN is informed by the knowledge that the perpetrator of a hate crime most often has encountered hate speech that dehumanized his/her target. It is also based on the fact that most perpetrators are like most ordinary people who are, like you and me, sports fans.
With the endorsement, in July 2021, of 18th June as the International Day for Countering Hate Speech, the UN General Assembly recognized the need to counter discrimination, xenophobia and hate speech, and called on all relevant actors, including countries, to increase their efforts to address this phenomenon, in line with international human rights law.
Throughout history, hate speech has been known to stigmatize, marginalize, and ultimately incite hate crimes and large-scale violence, including genocide.
Hate speech is toxic, but it can and must be fought.
Ms. Nderitu is the UN Special Adviser on the Prevention of Genocide
