Brazil Soccer Star Hulk: Racism Common in Russian League

Zenit St. Petersburg’s Brazilian soccer star known as the “Hulk” declared that “in almost every game” that he plays in Russia, he encounters racism.

The forward, whose real name is Givanildo Vieira de Sousa, also said he was worried how racism would affect Russia’s hosting of the 2018 World Cup.

“If (racism) happens in the World Cup, it will be really gross and really ugly. Usually it happens when Russian clubs play and it doesn’t come out to the world and the world doesn’t know about this,” he said through a translator.

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“I must say that almost every game I see this happening. I used to get angry, but now I see this doesn’t help, so I just send a kiss to our fans and try not to get angry.”

Last season, two Moscow clubs, Spartak and Torpedo, were sanctioned as their fans abused Hulk with monkey chants.

In December, Hulk accused Russian referee Alexei Matyunin of racially abusing him during a league game. The referee was cleared by a Russian Football Union panel, arguing there was insufficient evidence.