Hector Bellerin on the war in Ukraine: I think it’s racist that other conflicts have been ignored

Spanish footballer Hector Bellerin has expressed his views on the Ukraine situation, questioning why this conflict has received more attention than others.

The Real Betis right-back has frequently exhibited his interest in social concerns, and he did so again with his perspective on the Ukraine-Russia war.

Speaking to La Media Inglesa, the former Arsenal regular told:

“It is quite difficult to see that we are more interested in this war than in others,” he told La Media Inglesa.

“I don’t know if it is because they are more like us or because the conflict can affect us more directly both economically and in terms of refugees.”

🔥Héctor Bellerín en Exclusiva🔥

Uno de los jugadores más únicos que hemos entrevistado.

👇🏽👇🏽👇🏽https://t.co/No9cy2nU7l pic.twitter.com/SvjpMQXLqQ

— La Media Inglesa (@LaMediaInglesa) March 22, 2022

He then added examples of various other conflicts around the world to support his point.

“The Palestinian war has been completely silenced, no one speaks about it,” he said.

“Yemen, Iraq… now Russia not being able to play in the World Cup is something that other countries have faced for many years.”

He went on to state that the failure not to pay as much attention to other conflicts is racist.

It is racist to have turned a blind eye to other conflicts and now to have this position,” he said.

“It also reflects a lack of empathy for the number of lives lost in many conflicts and we are prioritising those that are near to us.”