FIFA President Gianni Infantino has expressed his horror at the racist abuse Barcelona player Alejandro Balde endured during the match between Barcelona and Getafe at the Coliseum Alfonso Pérez on Saturday evening in La Liga. Infantino, speaking to the Spanish newspaper Mundo Deportivo, said, “I am horrified by the racism that Balde suffered during his match against Getafe in La Liga. Such behavior has no place in society or in football.”
He further emphasized, “We must unite and stand together to fight the scourge of racism and eliminate it. No to racism and any form of discrimination. I condemn the racism that Balde suffered.”
Mundo Deportivo highlighted that FIFA’s swift condemnation of the abuse stands in stark contrast to the lack of response from La Liga, the Spanish football league. Balde, Barcelona’s left-back, had publicly denounced the racist insults he was subjected to from the stands during the 1-1 draw, taking to social media to speak out against the incident.
