Outrage over young man who was discriminated against after arriving at a Junior match in flip-flops: 'I saved up $2,000 at a time, $2,000 at a time, to be able to go'

ExplainerJunior fan suffers discrimination for going to the stadium in flip-flops. Photo: Screenshot from social media.16.10.2026 09:13 Updated: 16.10.2026 09:22 In recent hours, a controversy erupted on social media after a video went viral showing a fan of Junior de Barranquilla attending the Romelio Martínez stadium while wearing flip-flops. In the footage, which quickly became popular on digital platforms, the young man can be seen being discriminated against because of his footwear and being forced to leave the venue. The incident sparked a wave of outrage due to the discriminatory treatment the fan received while cheering on his team. The video was recorded by another fan who was in the same stands and later shared the clip online. READ ALSO The discrimination case against the Junior de Barranquilla fanIn the images, the young man can be seen watching the match between the Barranquilla team and Deportivo Pereira, which ended in a one-goal draw and meant the elimination of the current two-time champion of Colombian soccer from the local tournament. The moment another fan tells him to leave the place. Photo: Screenshot from social media. In the recording, the fan can be seen looking toward the pitch when, suddenly, another follower of the club approaches him and starts talking to him while pointing at the flip-flops he is wearing. At that moment, the young man resigns himself and decides to leave the place, while another person shouts at him: "You don't come to the stadium in flip-flops." READ ALSO The case gained relevance due to the evident discriminatory gesture of the other fans toward the young man, who was supporting a team going through a delicate moment in terms of results. The displays of solidarity on social media were not long in coming, and some users even proposed contacting him to take him back to the stadium. Likewise, figures from sports journalism, such as Juan José Mantilla, a journalist for Win Sports, the outlet in charge of broadcasting Colombian professional soccer, used their social media to ask internet users for help in obtaining the young man's contact information. The intention was to gift him a Win Plus code so he could watch the matches without any problems. The statements of the young Junior fan after the discrimination caseIn an interview conducted by a local media outlet in the Atlántico capital, the fan said that "I felt uncomfortable and bad" after the distressing situation he experienced, which put him at the center of public attention due to the video going viral. Junior de Barranquilla was eliminated from the local tournament Photo:@JuniorClubSA READ ALSO He also explained that he was saving money to be able to attend the stadium: "My snack money, 2,000 pesos at a time. I saw that the ticket was cheap, at 25,000 pesos, so I bought it," said the fan of the Caribbean club. In addition, he took the opportunity to send a message to those who judged him for his way of dressing. He stated that no one should be judged for the clothes they wear and said that the woman who appears in the post said several things to him that made him feel bad and hurt him emotionally. The case opened the debate about acceptance of each person's style and the importance of not judging others for the clothes they wear. Some people on social media even pointed out that attending soccer games is not affordable and that many fans sacrifice other things in order to go to the stadium. Therefore, they believe that the effort of those who attend despite adverse circumstances should be valued. Juan Sebastián Cardona BernalAlcance Digital Desk EL TIEMPOMore news at EL TIEMPO Follow all the news from Colombia on Facebook and Twitter, or in our weekly newsletter. EL TIEMPO NEWSLETTERSSign up for our newsletters and receive news in your email according to your interests. Stay informed about what really matters to you. EL TIEMPO GOOGLE NEWSFollow us on GOOGLE NEWS. Always stay up to date with the latest news, coverage, stories and analysis directly on Google News. EL TIEMPO WHATSAPPJoin El Tiempo's WhatsApp channel to stay up to date with the most relevant news as it happens. EL TIEMPO APPStay informed with the EL TIEMPO app. Receive the latest news, coverage, stories and analysis directly on your device. SUBSCRIBE TO DIGITALReliable information for you. Subscribe to EL TIEMPO and access our journalistic content without limits.