A former public official in the Mexican city where Ronaldinho has signed to play has called the Brazilian star "a monkey."

The comment by Carlos Manuel Trevino Nunez, who was the Secretary of Social Development in Queretaro, was published in Facebook.

"Seriously I try to be tolerant," Trevino wrote. "But I hate football and the idiotic phenomenon that it produces. I hate it even more because people flood the streets and it takes two hours to get home. All this for a monkey, A Brazilian monkey, but still."

In a statement the club said "racism, xenophobia ... and other discriminatory practices are a form of violence that should be erased from society."

The club asked the appropriate authorities to take action.

Ronaldinho signed for Queretaro two weeks ago and is expected to play his first match this week.