Hate is taught: it can be fought.

Events that were both heartwarming and poignant unfolded in Madrid on Wednesday 24 May 2023. Inside Spain's largest stadium, Santiago Bernabeu, the home team Real Madrid stood in solidarity with their teammate, Vinicius Jr, who days before had been a victim of hate speech.

The 23-year-old Brazilian star had endured racist chants during a match that had left him disenchanted and consequently expressing his desire to leave Spain and its football league, La Liga.

On that Wednesday night, however, as Vinicius Jr walked onto the pitch before Real Madrid's match against Rayo, he may have felt a little different. All the players were donning 'Vini Jr. 20' shirts in solidarity with him. Players of the two competing teams held up a banner together that declared: 'Racists, out of football'.

It is, as we have come to understand, a slogan for a new campaign initiated by the country's sports authorities to fight racism in football - a blight that is not unique to one sport or one country.

Not far from the Santiago Bernabeu, Madrid's women's team and basketball sides also wore 'Vini Jr' shirts before their games - another show of solidarity with the Brazilian star.

On that Wednesday night, unlike the Sunday before in Valencia, there was solidarity. There was humanity. There was promise, and hope.

Since then, numerous sports stars have come out in support of Vini Jr. following that ugly, despicable episode in Valencia, as have sports managers and politicians.

There is growing recognition that if this kind of hate is not fought, this beautiful game will continue to be afflicted by an ugly stain.

It is the recognition that, just as this hate is taught, it can be fought. We must do all we can to counter hate in all its forms, including those expressed in racist narratives and chants. This renewed recognition bears promise.

Indeed, we are all the same, in our diversity as human beings. But this sense of commonality can be quickly eroded by expressions of hatred on the basis of race, ethnicity, religion, nationality, gender, refugee and immigration status, disability, or any other form of identity.

My office works day and night to address and counter hate speech, which was very much on display in those racist chants against Vini Jr.

Situation in Brazil

Coincidentally, I had just returned from Vini Jr.'s home country, Brazil, where people of African descent like him, and indigenous...