The Arrecife City Council, aware of the incidents that occurred on Sunday morning at the sports facilities of Puerto del Arrecife, in the capital of Lanzarote, strongly rejects racist behavior and violence in sports.
As it has been reported this Sunday in different media, some incidents have occurred this Sunday at the Puerto del Arrecife Football Field, between the neighborhoods of Valterra and Altavista. A match was being played between Orientación Marítima and Victoria, in the 21st round of the Interinsular Youth League.
According to the minutes drawn up by the refereeing team, "The number 15 of the visiting team addresses an opponent with the following terms fucking black piece of shit." In addition, different episodes of violence were recorded between the players, as noted in the minutes, and the match was suspended..."
The mayor of Arrecife, Yonathan de León, condemns that violence, xenophobia and racism are taking root in the youth. After learning about this situation, the mayor spoke this afternoon with directors of CD Orientación Marítima to show his support and solidarity for this racist aggression that one of their youth players, a resident of Arrecife, received.
Yonathan de León, who in his youth signed for different football clubs in Lanzarote, strongly rejects "violence in football and reinforces the sporting values that clubs provide, to grow in healthy environments, as a team, and continuous improvement." In addition, the mayor has remarked that "one of the great riches of the municipality of Arrecife lies in its great multiculturalism, which makes us progress and advance as a society."
Arrecife launches a campaign saying "No to violence in sports"
Precisely, this Saturday a awareness campaign launched by the Arrecife City Council began, deploying large banners in all the municipal football fields of the city, to say "No to Violence in Sports."
An initiative, promoted by the Department of Sports, which has coincided with the start, this weekend, of the Arrecife City Football Prebenjamín Tournament.
Eli Merino, as Councilor for Sports of the Arrecife City Council, details that legal assistance has been offered this afternoon to the OD Marítima team in case they decide to take legal action against this unfortunate episode experienced today in this match, where racist expressions have been received by a player from the city of Arrecife, on the field of play.
The words racism and xenophobia are often used as synonyms. However, they do not have the same meaning, but both refer to forms of intolerance and discrimination contrary to respect for human rights.
This legal support will also be offered to all sports clubs in the municipality of Arrecife, when they are the object of aggression due to xenophobia, and racism, among other possible crimes.
The Arrecife City Council also showed its rejection of other situations of violence recently recorded in a football match.
