Gianni Infantino, President of FIFA, has announced that stringent measures will be introduced to combat racism in football, following allegations by Real Madrid’s Vinicius Jr.
Vinicius Jr claims that during a recent Champions League clash, Benfica’s Gianluca Prestianni directed racist remarks at him while he covered his mouth with his shirt.
In an exclusive interview with Sky News, Infantino reaffirmed FIFA’s zero-tolerance stance:
“If a player covers his mouth and says something and this has a racist consequence, then he has to be sent off immediately, obviously. There must be a presumption that he said something he shouldn’t have, otherwise he wouldn’t have had to cover his mouth.”
Infantino further indicated that preventative measures will be discussed at the 2026 FIFA Congress ahead of the World Cup in June.
“We need to consult the game more broadly and work out where we would avoid any unforeseen circumstances. We need to look at everything and make sure if we were going to bring in a rule change or a penalty that we’re not going to create further problems,” he explained.
Jose Mourinho, coach of Benfica, vowed action against Prestianni if the allegations are confirmed:
“I am completely opposed to any kind of ignorance, prejudice, and discrimination, and if my player did not respect these principles, which are mine and Benfica’s as well, then that player’s career with a coach named Jose Mourinho at Benfica will come to an end,” Mourinho warned.
These developments follow FIFA’s 140th Annual General Meeting in Henson, Wales, where the board of the International Football Association Board committed to ongoing consultations to tackle discriminatory behavior, safeguarding the dignity of the game, players, match officials, and fans.
