Marvin Bartley still scarred by racial abuse as Livingston boss not surprised by Vinicius Jr claim
The Real Madrid star has alledged he was racially abused by Benfica winger Gianluca Prestianni during a Champions League clash
Marvin Bartley(Image: SNS Group)
Marvin Bartley was once a victim of racial abuse from a fan when he played for Hibs against Hearts in an Edinburgh derby.
Now the Livingston manager is part of an ongoing investigation into an alleged case of racial abuse involving one of his players, Jeremy Bokila, in a match against Aberdeen earlier in the season.
So Bartley admits he wasn’t surprised to find the Champions League afflicted by the same problem when Benfica played Real Madrid last Tuesday and the Spanish club’s winger Vinicius Junior claimed he was abused by Gianluca Prestianni.
“The most distressing part of that incident for me is that I know it will happen again somewhere in the world,” Bartley said. “I try to remain emotionally detached because I know it is a societal problem.
“I’m not sad and I’m not angry. I won’t let it affect my everyday life. But it is a sad reflection on all of us that this is still going on.
“I have a care of duty to my player and lawyers are still working on what happened during the game against Aberdeen. I know what it’s like to have that happen.
“I was racially abused on social media and the only way I can describe the aftermath of something like that happening is to say it’s like a cut.
“A cut can heal but sometimes it leaves a scar and you can see that scar whenever you’re reminded of what happened when another case of racial abuse arises.
Gianluca Prestianni (right) confronts Vinicius Junior(Image: Getty Images)
“The person who abused me actually got in touch with me later on and offered an apology, which is something at least.
“And you can only hope that person learned something from the whole, sorry episode.
“But the frustration persists that, whatever the level of the game, racism is still a part of it.”
Follow Record Sport on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram for all of the up-to-the minute breaking news, video and audio on the SPFL, the Scotland national team and beyond.
Tune in to Hotline Live every Sunday to Thursday and have your say on the biggest issues in Scottish football and listen to Record Sport’s newest podcast, Game On, every Friday for your sporting fix, all in bitesize chunks.
Get more Daily Record exclusives by signing up for free to Google’s preferred sources. Click HERE
