Bernardo says racist abusers in football should be jailed
Friday 12 April 2019 13:00, UK
Brighton defender Bernardo has called for racist abusers in football stadiums to be sent to prison.
The Brazilian, who joined Brighton from RB Leipzig last summer, has urged football's governing bodies to use robust punishments against those responsible.
The 23-year-old told Brighton's club website: "I'm speechless because it's always the same thing, it doesn't seem like things are going to change and I don't see punishments.
"It's something that shouldn't be accepted anymore.
"I don't know how it works in England, but in Brazil racism is a crime and you go to jail if something like this happens. I think it should be the same over here - maybe things would start to change.
"When one incident happens, then a second and third one, and people notice that nothing is happening, they will carry on doing it."
Three Chelsea supporters were denied entry to their Europa League game against Slavia Prague after an alleged racially abusive chant about Liverpool's Mohamed Salah appeared on social media.
There were calls for tougher sanctions from UEFA on racist incidents after England players were targeted during a European Championship qualifier in Montenegro.
"Unfortunately you can't change people's minds - if someone is racist, you can't change that, and I actually feel pity for that person," Bernardo added.
"But what will stop people (being racist) is being punished. It's been too soft, it shouldn't be accepted and things should be more strict."
Full-back Bernardo, who has made 15 appearances for the Seagulls since his £9m summer move, recalled an incident during a game in South America which led to direct punishment being used to combat racist abuse.
"If you (racially) offend me on the street in Brazil and I go to the police office, nothing happens, but if it happens on a football pitch with cameras and the whole media covering it, it's jail," he said.
"I was at the stadium for a Copa Libertadores game between Sao Paulo and an Argentinian team - the camera saw the Argentinian player offending the Brazilian player and at half-time they had the images.
"The second half didn't start, they went and arrested him on the pitch and took him to jail.
"The guy spent one day in jail and then flew back to Argentina, but the image of a football player being arrested on the pitch for being racist is so powerful and impactful.
"I see it as a crime and something that should face a punishment - maybe not years and years in jail, but you should be punished and embarrassed."
Brazilian forward Serginho left the field on Sunday during a Bolivian league game in March after being subjected to monkey chants.
Whilst Bernardo believes the choice of whether to should walk off the pitch is down to individual players, he feels this type of defiance would send out a powerful message.
"It doesn't make sense to be in that sort of environment, there are more important things in life than a match of football," he said.
"The image that you give when you leave the pitch is that you simply don't accept it. There's no discussion - I don't accept it and I'm going away.
"I see it in this way - you are passing on a message that can be more valuable than playing on for a few more minutes."
