Sports

Fans Found Guilty of Hate Crimes Against Vinicius Jr.

Suspended sentences and match bans issued after effigy incident targeting Brazilian star

Four individuals have received suspended jail sentences after being found guilty of committing hate crimes targeting Real Madrid forward Vinicius Jr. The verdict marks a significant step in the ongoing fight against racism in Spanish football.

The quartet was convicted for their involvement in hanging an inflatable effigy of Vinicius Jr. from a bridge near Real Madrid’s training ground in January 2023. This disturbing act occurred shortly before Atletico Madrid’s Copa Del Rey match at the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium, accompanied by a banner that read: “Madrid hates Real.”

Three members of the group were sentenced to 14 months in prison, while the fourth received a 22-month sentence for distributing images of the act online. However, these sentences have been suspended after all four signed a letter of apology to the Brazil international, Real Madrid, La Liga, and the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF).

The ruling also includes a restraining order, prohibiting the quartet from coming within 1km of Vinicius Jr., his home, or Real Madrid’s training ground. Additionally, they face a blanket ban from attending any La Liga or Spain national team matches.

Vinicius Jr. has been a frequent target of racial abuse since joining Real Madrid in 2018 from Flamengo. The 24-year-old, who has made 316 appearances for the club, was subjected to racist chanting by Atletico fans in September 2022 during a La Liga match. He was again targeted later that month during a match against Real Valladolid, leading to five people later receiving suspended prison sentences for those incidents. In December 2022, just a month before the effigy incident, Vinicius Jr. publicly urged La Liga to take stronger action by banning individuals found guilty of racist chanting from attending matches.

Related Articles

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Back to top button