By Martin Graham
How Vinicius Jr. sat alone in the Estadio da Luz dugout, discussions developed around him between players and coaching staff while the Real Madrid forward he drank water in silence.
The Brazilian had informed referee Francois Letexier that he had been subjected to racist abuse by Benfica midfielder Gianluca Prestianni, an allegation the Argentine has denied. Letexier responded by stopping the game and signaling the complaint by raising his arms in a crossed gesture.
Shortly before the break, the 25-year-old had scored a superb goal that eventually sealed Real Madrid’s 1-0 win in the first leg of their Champions League tie. After a 10-minute delay, the match resumed and the French referee will now submit his report to UEFA for further investigation.
Under UEFA’s system, introduced in 2009, officials can apply a three-stage approach when racism is reported. If the referee has not personally heard the comment, play is stopped and the details are relayed to the fourth official. When the abuse comes from the stands, a stadium announcement is made. Continued misconduct may result in a longer suspension from the game and a further warning, with the final measure being abandonment of the match.
Sanctions and previous cases
In 2013, UEFA published its “European football united against racism” policy, developed when Gianni Infantino was general secretary. The framework set out 11 resolutions outlining the duties of footballers, coaches, clubs and supporters.
Infantino called for a suspension of at least 10 games for players found responsible for racist behaviour. This rule was implemented in 2021 when Ondrej Kudela of Slavia Prague received a 10-game ban for racially abusing Rangers midfielder Glen Kamara.
The crossed arms “X” sign used by Letexier is not included in the UEFA guidelines. FIFA introduced the gesture in 2024 to clarify to everyone in the stadium why a match has been stopped.
According to Kick It Out president Sanjay Bhandari, the three-step procedure hasn’t been triggered often, but when it has, it’s caused significant discussion. He described it as “the least bad of a terrible set of options,” adding that dissatisfaction persists because no clearly superior alternative has emerged.
Debate on whether it is enough
Bhandari said the focus tends to be on ensuring the game continues, although he acknowledged umpires have limited authority. If an official hears racist language directly, they can fire the offender. Otherwise, the structured protocol is the only course available.
Former FIFA and UEFA assistant referee Darren Cann explained that match officials are trained to reassure the affected player that the complaint is taken seriously. He noted that while players generally continue, they cannot be forced to and can be replaced. Ending the match completely is considered the final step.
The procedure was also used in the opening Premier League game this season at Liverpool, when referee Anthony Taylor stopped Bournemouth’s game at Anfield after Antoine Semenyo reported abuse from a spectator.
Bhandari added that Kick It Out would support any team that chose to walk off the field in solidarity with a teammate. Comparing it to another scenario, he said that if an actor was racially insulted in a theater, no one would expect him to stay on stage. However, he acknowledged that discussions repeatedly return to the same question: What other solution is there?
