A Spanish Court has sentenced three Valencia football fans to eight months imprisonment. Their punishment was the inciting of hate crimes committed against the then-Brazilian international footballer, Vinicius Jr. Those ugly incidents took place last May 2023, when these same fans unveiled a horrid banner and an effigy of the player. The trio won’t be heading to prison. They published a letter of apology not just to Vinicius Jr, but to Real Madrid, La Liga and the RFEF.
This decision by the court on 10th June 2024 should be seen as a major victory in the fight against systematic racial abuse in Spanish football. Vinicius Jr of Real Madrid, one of the most exciting players in world football today, has been a target for racial insults and threats over the last couple of years. Today, he is an invaluable resource in the ongoing fight against racism in sports. The court’s ruling is a welcome affirmation of this emerging trend. Legal measures are becoming more popular, even against those connected to overtly racial episodes by the player.
A Disturbing Incident
This hate crime incident occurred last January, just before a Copa del Rey match against Atletico Madrid. Valencia fans had decided to escalate their rivalry with Madrid. They draped a banner that said in huge letters “Madrid hates Real” and trotted out an inflatable black effigy wearing a replica of Vinicius Jr’s number 20 jersey on a bridge. These actions have been met with widespread outrage and forced a reckoning over the ongoing problem of racism in football.
La Liga has already been on the front foot in filing complaints over several other incidents of racial abuse aimed at Vinicius Jr. This latest sentencing represents the fourth court ruling within a year related to hate crimes aimed at the player, underscoring the need for continued vigilance against racism in sports.
“Madrid hates Real” – Al Jazeera and news agencies
Consequences for Defendants
The sentence of three Valencia supporters – eight months in prison. Yet they won’t spend a single day in jail because a letter of contrition has been presented. So far, they are looking at a restraining order that would keep them from getting anywhere near Vinicius Jr. or his residence or office. In addition, they are barred from accessing football stadiums on La Liga or RFEF matchdays.
In a third case, one more defendant was recently sentenced to 15 months in prison for perpetrating that same kind of hate crime. They got another seven months tacked on for making threats. This person had been sharing photos of the act online, making the case even more effective by amplifying the real-life impacts of this behavior.
A Pattern of Abuse
This incident is not the first in a recent and harrowing streak of racist abuse against Vinicius Jr. In December 2022, five of the people found guilty of racially abusing him during a match were sentenced to 12-month suspended prison terms and fined. Just in September 2023, a Mallorca supporter was sentenced to a year in prison for doing the same. They were hit with a three-year ban from their own stadium. This increasing wave of litigation represents an obligation to address racism in the sport.
Vinicius Jr as we speak is in the United States, competing in the FIFA Club World Cup. His ongoing presence in high-profile competitions underscores both his talent on the field and the challenges he faces off it.
