12-03-2025
Brazilian clubs write to FIFA, CONMEBOL demanding action on the ‘crime of racism that plagues soccer'
Brazilian club Palmeiras and the bodies representing professional clubs in the country have written to FIFA and CONMEBOL demanding action after another high-profile incident of racism in South America.
The 19-page letter, which has been seen by The Athletic, was sent in the wake of the racist abuse suffered by Palmeiras Under-20 forward Luighi during his side's CONMEBOL Libertadores Under-20 fixture against Cerro Porteno in Paraguay on March 6. Luighi, 18, was seen in tears following the incidents — in which opposition fans targeted Palmeiras players were targeted with monkey chants and gestures, the letter says — and later wrote on social media that the abuse 'hurts the soul'.
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'The Brazilian clubs reiterate the need for new measures to combat racism to be taken immediately, and for not only the clubs' request, but also the plea of the players and other victims to be heard, and for the Luighi case to be the last time we deal so unpreparedly and unpunished with the crime of racism that plagues soccer,' the letter reads.
Cerro Porteno were fined $50,000 by CONMEBOL — the governing body of South American football — over the Palmeiras incidents and fans have been banned from attending matches for the remainder of the Libertadores Under-20 tournament. As reported by Reuters, Palmeiras president Leila Pereira called the punishment 'absurd', and the Brazil Football Federation (CBF) said it had filed a complaint to CONMEBOL, requesting tougher measures.
Palmeiras, alongside Liga do Futebol Brasileiro (Libra) and Condominio Forte Uniao (LFU), the two groups responsible for representing Brazilian professional clubs, have addressed the letter to FIFA president Gianni Infantino, CONMEBOL president Alejandro Dominguez, and Emilio Garcia Silvero and Monserrat Jimenez, the legal representatives from the respective federations.
They have requested that 'FIFA and CONMEBOL immediately reform their regulations in order to institute anti-racism measures that have an effect on stopping racial violence'.
The letter highlights the history of racism in South American football and outlines a number of cases and sanctions imposed, citing data from the Observatory of Racial Discrimination in Football, which states that 676 cases of racism were reported in CONMEBOL matches between 2014 and 2024.
It states that cases appear to either not progress, or that the fines distributed are 'derisory' and do not have an impact on clubs or perpetrators. It also criticises the lack of education provided for perpetrators.
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'We call for a review of the sanctions laid down by CONMEBOL and FIFA, so that new measures can be applied to effectively combat racism, ending the impunity of perpetrators and conniving clubs,' the letter adds.
The Brazilian clubs have requested a meeting with FIFA and CONMEBOL to discuss the issues raised and have provided a list of measures they wish to see enforced. This includes a reform of the 'derisory punishment' given to Cerro Porteno following the racist abuse Luighi was targeted with, a monitoring by FIFA of the implementation of its racism protocol and a minimum fine of $500,000 for acts of discrimination in the event of there being no criminal punishment for those responsible.
The Athletic has contacted FIFA and CONMEBOL for comment.
FIFA introduced a three-step approach for how match officials should deal with racist chanting in 2018, with match officials told they should pause, suspend and, if the chanting continues, abandon games. The letter states that the referee in the Palmeiras-Cerro Porteno game did not follow this protocol.
In 2024, FIFA introduced a 'global standard gesture' of arms crossed at the wrists in an 'X' shape to signal racist incidents.
