Brazilian player target of racism just months ahead of World Cup

Fans yelled racist insults at a Brazilian soccer player interviewed by reporters after a match, the latest case of racism in the country that will host the World Cup in a few months. Santos midfielder Arouca, who played for Brazil’s national team last year, was on the field talking to reporters after a 5-2 win in the Sao Paulo state championship on Thursday when some fans in the stands reportedly called him “monkey.” The midfielder released a statement Friday saying he heard one fan telling him to go look for an Af- rican team. “It’s unacceptable that things like this are still happening these days. It shows that the human being still has a lot to evolve and grow,” Arouca said. The Sao Paulo state federation said the stadium in the interior city of Mogi Mirim was being closed until the case was fully investigated. The insults came a day after a referee said he was targeted by racist fans before and after a match, and less than a month after another Brazilian player was insulted in a Copa Libertadores game in Peru. The Associated Press