Conmebol creates anti‑racism task force led by Ronaldo Nazário
The South American Football Confederation (Conmebol) has announced the creation of a task force led by former player Ronaldo Nazário to combat racism, discrimination, and violence in football.
The initiative was adopted Thursday (Mar. 27) after a meeting at the organization’s headquarters in Luque, Paraguay, attended by representatives of the Brazilian government, associations affiliated to Conmebol, players’ associations, and personalities. In addition to Ronaldo, the task force should include Fatma Samoura, former FIFA secretary general, and Sérgio Marchi, president of the International Federation of Professional Footballers (FIFpro).
The meeting came after repeated episodes of racism against Brazilian athletes, such as the one suffered by 18-year-old Palmeiras striker Luighi during the Copa Libertadores U20 match in Paraguay early this month. He was the target of racist slurs from a Cerro Porteño fan on the edge of the field.
“We are taking action here today with responsibility and with a united front to face up to the challenges ahead, overcome them, and continue on the path to growth. We don’t want to debate the past; we want to discuss the future. Everything that's said here is meant to add to and improve our sport,” Conmebol President Alejandro Dominguez said at the opening of the meeting.
After the assembly, some measures were also announced. A list of people banned from entering stadiums—including those involved in acts of racism—will be compiled for any tournament in South America and other competitions around the world. Educational programs will also be implemented for players, referees, clubs, and fans, in a bid to raise awareness and prevent racism in football.
