Five supporters of Real Valladolid who directed racist abuse at Real Madrid’s forward Vinícius Júnior have received suspended prison sentences in what La Liga has called a landmark decision, formally recognising racist slurs in a stadium setting as a hate crime.
The incident occurred during Real Madrid’s 2-0 victory in December 2022 at Valladolid’s José Zorrilla stadium, where the Brazilian player was subjected to racist insults from several fans. Authorities later identified the perpetrators using footage and images shared on social media platforms.
A Valladolid court found the fans guilty, imposing one-year prison terms and fines reaching €1,620. These prison sentences were suspended on the condition that the individuals avoid further offences and do not enter stadiums hosting official national matches for the next three years.
La Liga welcomed the ruling, calling it in a statement an ‘unprecedented milestone in the fight against racism in sports in Spain’.
Historically, racist chanting had been treated by Spanish courts as an offence against moral integrity, with racial motivation considered an aggravating factor.
‘The fact that this ruling explicitly refers to hate crimes associated with racist insults reinforces the message that intolerance has no place in football,’ La Liga said in a statement.
Real Madrid also welcomed the court ruling in an official statement. The club acknowledged that in recent months, Spanish courts have issued sentences related to racist incidents in stadiums in Valencia, Palma de Mallorca, and Madrid’s Vallecas stadium.
However, the club said that the verdict in Valladolid was seen as particularly significant: ‘On this occasion, the hate crime convictions represent a unique recognition of the offensive nature of these behaviours.’
‘Real Madrid has acted as a private prosecutor alongside its player in this trial and several others currently in the pipeline due to events of a similar nature, and will continue its work to uphold the values of our club and eradicate any racist conduct from the world of football and sport,’ the statement said.
Vinícius, now 24, has been one of the most vocal figures in confronting racism in La Liga, having endured racist abuse at over ten stadiums across Spain. Last year, he broke down during a press conference when he publicly described how the repeated abuse was eroding his motivation to continue playing. ALSO READ: Vinícius breaks down while talking about racist insults he’s suffered in Spain.
His activism has begun to yield tangible results. Late last year, Spanish authorities arrested four individuals accused of orchestrating an online hate campaign against him. Earlier in 2023, four others were detained for allegedly hanging an effigy of the player from a bridge in Madrid. ALSO READ: Four men arrested for alleged racist campaign targeting Real Madrid player Vinícius.
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