Controversy in the Peruvian futsal team. The Peruvian Football Federation (FPD) opened an investigation into the technical director of the under-20 futsal team Francisco Melgar for some alleged racist words towards a player.
“The FPF totally rejects any act of racism or discrimination on and off the fields. In this sense, an internal investigation is already underway (…) About what happened within the framework of the participation of the under-20 futsal team in the South American of that category”reported the governing body of Peruvian football in a statement.
In a video that went viral on social networks, you can hear how Melgar addressed the Peruvian player Denilson Zegarra with racist expressions after the footballer received a yellow card. “There, that’s it, that’s cool, bastard. You’re black, well, that’s the problem.”the coach told Zegarra.
Melgar’s racist comments happened in the match between Peru and Paraguay, a match that the Peruvians won by 2 to 1 in the South American under-20 futsal match that was held until this Sunday, September 17 in the city of La Guaira, Venezuela.
The complaint will reach the Prosecutor’s Office
For its part, the Ministry of Culture of Peru announced that it is going to report the U-20 coach to the Prosecutor’s Office of that country, after a “act of ethnic-racial discrimination”.
“We strongly reject and condemn any comment that promotes the disqualification of a person based on ethnic and/or cultural characteristics. Any discriminatory expression reinforces stereotypes that reproduce and perpetuate a negative image of those who make up the Afro-Peruvian people,” the ministry indicated in a statement.
The institution added that it has sent a “communication to the Peruvian Football Federation to take the actions and sanctions within its jurisdiction.”
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