Renowned British rapper ‘shuts up’ Khvicha Kvaratskhelia after he tries to defend Valencia goalkeeper in Vinicius Jr. racial abuse incident
Racist abuse towards Vinicius Jr. continues to have a widespread effect on the sporting world.
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Khvicha Kvaratskhelia [left], Santan Dave [right] (Credits: Ciro Sarpa, Official Charts)
Famous UK rapper Santan Dave responded angrily to an Instagram post by Napoli star Khvicha Kvaratskhelia. The Georgian was defending Valencia goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili, who was involved in the racism incident with Vinicius Jr.
Kvaratskhelia wrote that he had played with Giorgi since they were kids and had always been a dutiful teammate and friend. The left-winger added that Mamardashvili was a good person with a big heart who merely stood up for his teammate in a heated situation. He said there was no place for racism in football and that the footballing world stood by Vinicius in the “must-win” fight against racism.
However, Santan Dave responded with animosity, telling Kvaratskhelia to “shut up.” The Valencia goalkeeper has received allegations of racism against Vinicius Jr. after the incident in the game on Sunday. The Napoli attacker supporting his fellow countryman and childhood friend did not go down well with Dave, and he made his feelings abundantly clear.
The home support’s vile chants caused Vinicius Jr. to cry during Real Madrid’s 1-0 loss to Valencia at the Mestalla Stadium. There was a “racist atmosphere” at the ground, according to Carlo Ancelotti, while goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois said he had heard monkey chants at the start of the game.
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Is the Vinicius Jr. incident indicative of a bigger issue in Spain?
Insults directed towards Real Madrid’s Vinicius Jr. sparked a heated debate over racism in sports. People raised the question of whether Spanish society has a problem with the topic. Observers have raised concerns about statements regarded as problematic, calling the nation’s culture into question.
Ximo Puig, the socialist president of the Valencia area, sought to blame Vinicius Jr, who looked to taunt Valencia fans about the danger of relegation as he left the ground on Sunday. “Players must be good professionals and should not act arrogantly,” he remarked.
Others have also tried to incorporate Vinicius Jr.’s persona into the argument. Toni Freixa, a former member of Barcelona’s board of directors, questioned why Real Madrid’s other black players were not subjected to racial insults in the same way. He stated that the Brazilian “provokes during every game.”
The fallout from Sunday’s game is reminiscent of events in 2004 when many Spanish supporters in Real Madrid’s Bernabeu stadium sang racist chants to England’s black players during a friendly match. The international indignation that followed sparked a national debate about the prejudice that had long existed on Spain’s football fields.
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Anany Kapoor
(105 Articles Published)