Banana thrown at Brazil football star in Paris match as racial abuse from crowds intensifies

The incident, seen as a racial attack against Brazilian striker Richarlison, has overshadowed his team's dominant win against Tunisia in Paris on Tuesday.

A banana was thrown as a sign of racial abuse at Richarlison during a friendly match between Brazil and Tunisia at Parc des Princes in Paris. Source: Getty / Quality Sport Images

Key Points

• A banana has been thrown at Brazilian striker Richarlison at a friendly match against Tunisia in Paris.
• The Brazilian Football Federation (CBF) issued a statement after the match, condemning the racist act.

A banana has been thrown at Brazilian striker Richarlison at a friendly match against Tunisia in Paris, in yet another sign of racial abuse against the team's players.

Richarlison, who scored Brazil's second goal on Tuesday night, was celebrating with his teammates when an unknown member of the crowd threw a banana in his direction on the field.

The Brazilian Football Federation (CBF) issued a statement after the match, condemning the racist act and vowing to continue its push for equality on and off the football field.

"Unfortunately, a banana was thrown on the pitch towards Richarlison, scorer of the second Brazilian goal," the statement said.

"The CBF reinforces its position to combat racism and repudiates any manifestation of prejudice."

CBF president Ednaldo Rodrigues said he personally saw the incident that emphasises the need for racism to be stamped out from football.

Mr Rodrigues, the first Black president in the Brazilian football federation's history, has called for stronger penalties for those who perpetrate acts of racism such as point losses.

"Fighting racism is not a cause; it is a fundamental change to sweep this type of crime from the entire planet. I insist on saying that the punishments need to be more severe," he said.

Before the game, the five-time world champions had posed with an anti-racism banner that read: "Without our black players, we wouldn't have stars on our shirts".

Ahead of their match against Tunisia, Brazil's players posed for a team photo with a sign that read: "Without our black players, we wouldn't have stars on our shirt". Source: Getty / AFP / Anne-Christine Poujoulat

Of Brazil's 2010 Census, which had 97 million participants, 50.7 per cent of people identified as either Black or mixed race. While statistics vary, it's estimated more than seven million Brazilians identify as Black.

The country has a strong Afro-Brazilian heritage, after four million slaves were transported from Africa to Brazil and sold in a brutal trade for 300 years until 1888.

The players posed with the sign to show solidarity with their fellow team member, Real Madrid's Vinícius Jr., who was racially abused by Atlético Madrid fans before their recent derby in September.

Ahead of Real Madrid's game in Spain, fans were recorded chanting comments, such as: "Vinícius Jr. is a monkey", as the team entered the stadium while making monkey noises.

Real Madrid star Vinicius Jr. (right) in action against Atletico Madrid. Credit: Helios de la Rubia/Real Madrid via Getty Images

Heightened attacks against Vinícius started when he began performing short cultural dances with his teammates that were described as "monkeying" around by the president of the Spanish Agents Association, Pedro Bravo.

Mr Bravo apologised shortly after he made his statement.

"They say happiness is annoying. The happiness of a victorious Brazilian black in Europe bothers much more," the winger hit back on social media.

Brazil's dominant performance over Tunisia was overshadowed by the racist incident. The team delivered a thrashing of 5-1 in their last match before the World Cup.