The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights on Wednesday denounced racist insults hurled at Brazilian striker Vinicius, calling for concerted efforts to eradicate the scourge in sport.
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We call on all these sporting events all over the world to counter, combat and prevent racism," Turk told a news conference in Geneva, adding that these new incidents mark "a stark reminder of the prevalence of racism in sport."
Last Sunday, the 22-year-old Real Madrid striker was the target of insults of all kinds, including racist, during the defeat of his team 1-0 in Valencia. These incidents have inflamed Spain, where proven cases of racism have been multiplying for several decades in stadiums, without leading to real criminal sanctions.
In this case, however, Turk welcomed "a very strong reaction from the authorities", stressing that "they started arresting people very quickly afterwards".
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An investigation must take place. This is a matter that will concern justice," he added. For the UN's top human rights official, "those who organize sporting events take this issue very seriously".
While he acknowledges the many positive aspects of sport, Turk believes there is also a need to "address the dark side." The High Commissioner has asked his office to prepare a policy report on the issue of racism in sport.
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We want to offer a number of clear ideas on human rights standards in sports events," he insisted, highlighting the problems of participation, inclusion and "combating stigma and racism".
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We have seen discrimination on a wide range of issues, including gender discrimination and discrimination against LGBTI people who also participate in sporting events," Turk said.
It must be absolutely clear, he said, that "racism is totally unacceptable" and called on everyone to introspect: "Do I have a prejudice? ... How do I react when I see someone else hurling a racist slur? ... Do I live with it, do I answer it? We need to find ways to eradicate it completely in the 21st century. It requires everyone to tackle (the problem) head-on."