Jun 15, 2024, 12:12 ET
Jayson Granger, Peñarol player, published a letter on his social networks where he detailed the racism he has been suffering in Uruguay, particularly in the finals of the Uruguayan Basketball League against Aguada, and accused Santiago Vidal of being racist. Granger said the situation is ‘troubling and embarrassing’ and that he feels ‘deeply sad and unprotected’.
In a story published on her Instagram account, Granger stated this Saturday morning: “For the good of the competition and as I was advised, I have remained silent until now about what happened the day of my incident with teammate Vidal. “, referring to what happened in the second final on June 6, where he threatened to kill Vidal on several occasions.
“But after what happened yesterday (Friday) in the game, once again I suffer the racism and gratuitous hatred of a full field at a sporting event and I am forced to speak. ‘Black shit’ shouted by an entire stadium, plus other racist insults of all kinds are what I suffered again last night, in Uruguay, when trying to go out to play basketball,” said the Peñarol player. This Friday, Aguada won the fourth final and put the series 3 to 1 in his favor.
The 34-year-old athlete continued: “This apparently is tolerated here and has become naturalized to such an extent that it is not given the slightest importance, when In almost any other part of the world, action would be taken immediately. Nobody does anything here. You look the other way”.
“It is clear that My gestures the other day were not appropriate and that is why I apologized twice, but they come for a reason: because of the accumulation of racism and hatred to which I have been subjected. on certain fields like yesterday, repeatedly and unfairly. Racism that, unfortunately, also comes from the mouth of the rival player himself, as happened to me. Hearing from his mouth repeatedly expressions like: ‘you’re my monkey’ and ‘you black bastard’. Something that I usually convey to the referee team, but from which I only receive ironic smiles and comments like: ‘I didn’t hear it’ or ‘nothing’s wrong, I kept playing,'” Granger said.
And he continued: “I also transmitted it to the Judge and the Federation, but apparently they did not consider it important, compared to my actions and my gestures. And in the end, I, and only I, ironically, turned out to be the culprit of this whole situation of which I am ultimately a victim.”
“I feel deeply sad and unprotected to see child spectators with their parents in my own country calling someone a ‘black slave.’ I feel sad also because of how I have come to act, since I do not recognize myself and I feel even sadder for not being able to take my children to a quiet family sports show where they can see their father play as they have always done,” said Granger, who is Monday they will play with Peñarol in the fifth final against Aguada starting at 9:15 p.m. at the Antel Arena.
The basketball player concluded: “In 18 years as a professional, I have never been expelled from a game nor had I had a problem with any rival until I arrived in my own country and that hurts me. But something happens and you can’t look the other way. It’s worrying and embarrassing. “No referees, no Federation, no politicians, no press, no judges… Something is being done wrong in this country and it has to change.”
